Paderborn anticipates over one million visitors for Libori festival

Paderborn will host the annual Libori festival from July 25 to August 2, a nine‑day event that blends religious ceremonies with a large fair. Organisers expect more than one million attendees.

The festivities open with three cannon salutes, after which Mayor Stefan‑Oliver Strate will tap the first barrel of beer in the festival tent. The relic of Saint Liborius will be displayed in the cathedral, followed by a procession through the city led by Bishop Udo Markus Bentz. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to address the crowd in the historic town hall.

Libori, one of Germany's oldest and biggest folk festivals, also celebrates the historic partnership between Paderborn and Le Mans, rooted in the veneration of Saint Liborius. The event features about 150 rides and 130 market stalls on the Liboriberg and the market square.