Herne – Cranger Funfair 2026
What to expect
The Cranger Kirmes 2026 turned Herne into a huge fair on the Rhine-Herne Canal from 6 to 16 August. The largest fair in North Rhine-Westphalia regularly attracts around four million people over eleven days to the eleven-hectare funfair site in Herne-Crange. Here you can look back at the 542 Cranger Kirmes, with dates, new rides and programme.
Date and venue
The first stroll around the funfair with all rides operating began on Thursday, 6 August, at 13. The ceremonial opening, with the ceremonial keg tapping by Lord Mayor Dr Frank Dudda, followed on Friday, 7 August, from 14 at the Cranger Festhalle; the musical star guest was the band The BossHoss. On Fridays and Saturdays, the funfair was open until 2, and on Sundays it opened as early as 11. Read more about the opening in our report Cranger Kirmes 2026 officially opens.
New rides and attractions at Cranger Kirmes 2026
At Cranger Kirmes 2026, there were around 50 rides, shows and walkthrough attractions, as well as about a dozen children's rides. Four attractions made their Crange debut: the family carousel Ballon Voyage, the walkthrough attraction Chaos Airport, the three-storey ghost train Diablos Residenz and the world-first Oracle the Thrillride. They were joined by returning favourites such as Alpina Bahn, Conga, Hangover and Wilde Maus XXL. Civil wedding ceremonies were also held on the Jupiter Ferris wheel.
Programme and highlights of Cranger Kirmes 2026
The parade travelled along Hauptstraße to the funfair site on Saturday, 8 August. Wednesday, 12 August, was family day, with reduced prices. Fireworks were scheduled for Friday, 7 August, and Sunday, 16 August, at 22:30; the city said it would make a decision about the opening fireworks at short notice due to the high risk of forest fires. The new Cranger Weinzelt also opened, while the Karaoke-Biergarten and the “Zum Ritter” beer garden returned. Under the traditional motto “Piel op no Crange!”, the fair combines modern rides with Ruhr traditions.
Getting there by bus, train, bike and park and ride
For Cranger Kirmes 2026, funfair route 322 ran every 10 minutes from Herne station to the fairground, alongside eleven other routes from Herne and Wanne-Eickel. Drivers used the park-and-ride site at the Herne-Baukau exit of the A42, with shuttle buses. Cyclists had five supervised bicycle parking areas, at a cost of one euro per bike.
A look ahead to the next edition
The next Cranger Kirmes runs from 5 to 15 August 2027. The organiser publishes the latest information at cranger-kirmes.de. You can find all currently known dates at Cranger Kirmes 2027.
Highlights at a glance
What Cranger Kirmes has to offer
- Opening / ceremonial keg tapping
- Procession
- Fireworks
- Family dayReduced prices
- Live music / stage programme
- Festival tent / beer garden
More to experience in Herne
AdvertisingProgramme & dates
- Fri7AugOpening with ceremonial keg tapping and The BossHoss14:00Cranger FesthalleMayor Dr Frank Dudda opens the funfair with the call “Piel op no Crange!”.
- Fri7AugOpening fireworks22:30Funfair siteDue to the high risk of forest fires, the city planned to make a final decision on Friday morning.
- Sat8AugProcession10:30Starting in Eickel, along Hauptstraße to the funfair site
- Wed12AugFamily day13:00 – 24:00Funfair siteReduced prices all day.
- Sun16AugClosing fireworks22:30Funfair site
Rides & attractions
51
Alpina BahnOscar Bruch OHGRoller coaster without inversions
Aqua LabyrinthMarkmann & Söhne GbRMirrors & maze
In the footsteps of ManituFritz Heitmann KGLog flume
Diamond bumper carsOsselmann GbRBumper carsAutoscooter Drive InFrank G. SchmidtBumper carsAutoscooter Millenium DriveKarl QuanteBumper carsAutoscooter Number 1Rudolf IskenBumper carsBaby 2000Bernhard Prinz & Sohn GbRChildren's carouselBalloon VoyageVanessa MarkmannChildren's rides and round ridesBig BambooRobert HempenFunhouseBig MonsterRaoul Hermann KrameyerPolyp / Octopus
Break Dance No 2Bonner Schaustellergeschäfte GmbHBreakdance / TwisterBrunos freche FarmJ. KaiserChildren's carouselCarussell CircusKaty BruchChildren's carouselChaos AirportMario und Andrea HaberkornFunhouseCircus-CircusGründler & Preuß KGRound ridesCrazy ClownSascha SchauChildren's carouselDiablos ResidenzJoseph HoefnagelsGhost trainDie Fantastische Reise 2Tino BreuerChildren's carouselDisco-JetArno HeitmannMusik Express / RaupeEvolutionMarilyn FacklerLooping / propellerGhost – The Ghost JungleAlexander BurghardFunhouse
Hangover – The TowerSchneider & Co. OHGDrop towerHappy SailorVerena Krug & Dirk HögerleRound ridesHaunted MansionHinzen KGGhost trainHeidi – The CoasterSchneider & Co. OHGSpinning CoasterHigh SkyFestzeltbetrieb Geiger GmbHFerris wheelsInfinity 2Hoefnagels & SöhneLooping / propellerJules VerneAlexander GoetzkeSwing ride tower (Starflyer)
Jupiter Ferris wheelBarthFerris wheelsSwing rideReinhard MeeßChildren's rides and round ridesChildren's Paradise No. 1Karl Heinz BarkhofenChildren's carousel
KongaSebastian KüchenmeisterPendulum rides / FrisbeesLaser-PixOliver Jehn KGGhost trains & walk-through attractionsLook 360° PanoramaFTSchneider GmbHObservation towerLooping the LoopAdriano LoritzSwinging shipFun at SeaPeter & Corinna MüllerChildren's rides and round ridesMedusaBlanka Lemoine
Mr. GravityFrank OberschelpRound ridesOrient-ZauberRuth & Claudia SchmidtChildren's carouselPetersburger SchlittenfahrtPeter Burgdorf, owner Nadine RadünzMusik Express / RaupeRallye-MasterFriedrich Enders & SohnChildren's bumper carsShake ’n’ RollHans Otto & Else Schäfer GmbHLooping / propellerSeven Sky JourneysKirsten SchmelterChildren's carouselStar TrekJutta KrenzChildren's rides and round ridesThe Real NessyHans-Peter Markmann KGPendulum rides / FrisbeesToy-WheelMarcel HardtChildren's ridesVoodoo JumperHans Otto Schäfer jun.Round ridesWellenflugSchaustellerbetriebe WendlerChair-o-planes / swing ride
Wilde Maus XXLWilde Maus XXL GmbHWilde MausWilly the WormIngo BauermeisterFamily and children's roller coasterImpressions
2 images
Getting there & services
Bus and train: Travel to Herne Bahnhof or Wanne-Eickel Hauptbahnhof; special buses run from there to the funfair site (funfair route 322 from Herne station, bus stop 8, every 10 minutes). Wanne-Eickel Hauptbahnhof is around 1,5 kilometres away on foot.
Car: Park-and-ride at the Herne-Baukau exit on the A42, signposted from the A42 and A43. Shuttle buses run every 10 minutes to the “Cranger Kirmes” stop on Heerstraße (2026: 7,99 euros for up to five people, cashless payment only).
Bicycle: Five supervised bicycle parking areas around the site, one euro per bike, one with charging facilities for e-bikes.
- Park & Ride / shuttle bus
- Good public transport links / special services
- Bicycle parking
- Information stand / lost property office
Good to know
- E-scooters may only be parked in the five designated spaces around the funfair site; the site itself is marked as a no-parking zone in the apps.
- Crangetaler from the ride and food passes are not valid on Family Day.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any discounts?
Yes, especially on family day (Wednesday, 12 August). Rides, food and drink outlets, and games stalls then offered reduced prices or special deals throughout the entire opening period, from 13 until midnight. Discounted advance-purchase passes were also available (see the next question).
What are Crangepässe and Crangetaler?
A ride pass cost 2026 15 euros and included Crangetaler worth 20 euros; the food pass cost 20 euros and was worth 25 euros. The food passes sold out quickly, and ride passes were limited to 15.000. No change is given, but you can combine them with cash. Crangetaler cannot be used on family day.
When was the official opening?
On Friday, 7 August 2026, from 14 in the Cranger Festhalle, with a ceremonial keg tapping by Mayor Dr. Frank Dudda and the traditional call “Piel op no Crange!”. The musical star guest was The BossHoss.
When was the parade?
On Saturday, 8 August 2026. It started at 10:30 in Eickel and proceeded along Hauptstraße to the funfair site, with up to 120.000 spectators expected.
Can I come by bicycle?
Yes. 2026 there were five supervised bicycle parking areas, costing one euro per bike per day, with charging facilities for e-bikes at one of them.
What does the number on Cranger Tor mean?
The funfair counts the years from 1484. That year, the freedom of Crange with market rights was first mentioned in a document, which the City of Herne's Council of Elders 2019 set as the symbolic starting date. 2026 therefore displayed the number 542 at the gate.
