Mülheim an der Ruhr – Mülheimer Schiffsweihnacht 2026

Mülheimer Schiffsweihnacht 2026 takes place on five selected days from Friday, 20 November, to Sunday, 29 November 2026 on Schleuseninsel in Mülheim an der Ruhr. The ships of the Weiße Flotte are transformed into special exhibition spaces for Christmas crafts over two weekends. You can also look forward to decorated riverside areas, small gift ideas, live music and free activities for children at Haus Ruhrnatur. The organiser, Mülheimer Stadtmarketing und Tourismus GmbH, has officially published the five visiting days and their stage programme.

Mülheimer Schiffsweihnacht 2026: all five dates

On the first weekend, Schiffsweihnacht opens on Friday, 20 November, and Saturday, 21 November. It then takes a break before the market returns on Friday, 27 November, Saturday, 28 November, and Sunday, 29 November. 22 to 26 November are explicitly not part of the market programme. The two weekends are therefore listed here as one continuous event, rather than creating multiple entries for the same Schiffsweihnacht. Sunday, 29 November, is also the first Sunday of Advent and the final market day of the 2026 edition.

Opening times on the event days

On 20 and 27 November, visiting hours are 15 to 21 each day. The two Saturdays, 21 and 28 November, offer a longer market visit from 13 to 21. On Sunday, 29 November, the event opens at 11 and closes at 20. These times are listed both on the city marketing department's current website and in the City of Mülheim's event calendar. A separate date overview on the same city marketing domain sometimes gives different times, while the detailed organiser page explicitly shows the daily schedule listed above. This is therefore the schedule used for our calendar entry.

Mülheimer Schiffsweihnacht 2026: market on the Weiße Flotte

The special feature is the combination of ships and Christmas stalls on land. On the ships, you can browse handmade products at your leisure, including jewellery, clothing, decorations and art made from reused materials. There are also food and drink options and illuminated market areas on Schleuseninsel. The official trader list includes a wide range of handcrafted products, such as items made from olive wood, felt, leather and silver cutlery. Shopping right by the water makes this market a different experience from a traditional city-centre Christmas market.

Choirs, live music and activities for children

The shanty choir KORMORAN is scheduled from 16 on Friday, 20 November. This is followed by, among others, a miners' quartet and the gospel choir Leslie B. Harmonies. The programme for Saturday, 21 November, includes children's dance, Winterpiraten, the band Groovin a Box and a concert by Dirk Elfgen. More performances are scheduled for the second weekend. Haus Ruhrnatur also offers craft activities and other things for children to do. Not all activities take place on the ships, so you should follow the signs when you arrive.

Accessibility, admission and getting there

The venue is Schleuseninsel at Alte Schleuse in 45468 Mülheim an der Ruhr. According to the city marketing department, the level section of the site is easily accessible for wheelchair and mobility scooter users. However, the stalls on the ships can only be reached by stairs; the upper floors of Haus Ruhrnatur are also not fully accessible. You should therefore check access in advance for the specific activity you wish to visit. According to the official information, admission to the market is free, but goods and food may cost extra. You can find all the details on the official Schiffsweihnacht page and in the city event calendar. See our Kirmestermine calendar for more markets.