Sterkrad Corpus Christi fair

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sterkrad Corpus Christi fair is a street and folk festival that takes place in the city ​​center of the Oberhausen district of Sterkrade . For six days, from Wednesday before Corpus Christi , 15:00 (previously 17:00) until Monday night, there are on a 2.5 km long loop Losbuden , carousels , beer gardens , high-tech - rides and nostalgic entertainment business. In previous years the fair was advertised with the title Biggest Street Fair in Europe ; however, the available space has recently been increasingly restricted by various building projects. The number of visitors is one million people.

history

Traditionally, there has been a church festival with a market in Sterkrade on Corpus Christi since time immemorial , the parish fair . Even today there is a procession over the fair every year on Corpus Christi day . According to the organizer, the city of Oberhausen, counting, the fair took place for the 187th time in 2016.

In 1972 the fair, which initially ran from Thursday to Sunday, was extended to five days by including Monday. On the Wednesday before Corpus Christi, the so-called Christmas Eve , many citizens took the opportunity to stroll through the fair, even though everything was still closed. Since 1993 the official opening (usually by the mayor) has already taken place on Wednesday at 5 p.m., which means that the fair is open one day longer. The fair ends on Mondays at 11 p.m. with fireworks . In 2006 the start of the festival was brought forward to 3 p.m. for the first time.

The fair increased in area from 2001 to 2004, aided by the fact that the former GHH premises in Sterkrade were pulled out , and in two consecutive years, with almost 500 showmen, could call itself the largest street fair in Europe. Due to structural measures, however, the festival has been reduced in size again in recent years. After the opening of the “Sterkrader Tor” shopping center, the fair in 2008 only had 360 showmen. There was a further reduction in size in 2009. A multi-storey car park was created behind the “Technisches Rathaus” (Technical City Hall) on the parking lot used by the fair in recent years, which reduced the space of the festival again. Since no adequate replacement area has been found so far, there is no longer a large roller coaster. However, the number of showmen has leveled off at 380 thanks to better use of space and the conversion of traffic light crossings.

gallery

  • Expo Star Ferris wheel with closed cabins 2010

  • covered roller coaster 'Höllenblitz' 2010

  • 'Skater' 2009

  • Fair 2009

  • Horse carousel 2013

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Dirk Hein: Kirmes in Sterkrade cracks the million mark. WAZ, June 11, 2012, accessed May 13, 2013 .
  2. ↑ The history of the Sterkrader Kirmes. Werbegemeinschaft Oberhausener Kirmessen eV, accessed on May 23, 2013 .
  3. ↑ Michael Nicolas: It's been going downhill since 2004. NRZ, March 26, 2009, accessed July 8, 2015 .
  4. ↑ Michael Schmitz: It's going well again. WAZ, March 26, 2009, accessed July 8, 2015 .
  5. ↑ Premiere of the giant swing "Konga" at the Sterkrad Corpus Christi fair. WAZ, May 21, 2013, accessed May 13, 2013 .

literature

  • Holger Füngerlings (Hrsg.): Sterkrader Corpus Christi fair : stories, impressions, experiences . Laufen, Oberhausen 2010. ISBN 978-3-87468-267-1 .

Web links

Commons : Sterkrader Corpus Christi Fair  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files