Carnival Fair 2025, "United We Stand" Leads with the Sea Deity as the Prime Attraction.
Cranger Kirmes Parade Delights Crowds Despite Rain Showers
The annual Cranger Kirmes parade, a key traditional event of Germany's largest annual funfair in Herne, took place on a rainy Sunday morning, attracting thousands of spectators. The parade, deeply rooted in the region's cultural heritage, showcases local community spirit and carnival tradition with vibrant displays of floats and walking groups.
This year, the judges evaluated the floats and walking groups based on creativity, thematic consistency, decoration, and overall performance. The competitive judging encourages high standards and artistic effort, maintaining the parade’s festive quality and appeal to millions of visitors annually.
A total of 82 floats, 21 walking groups, and 8 musical groups participated, totaling approximately 4,000 participants. The Evangelical Hospital Community Herne/Castrop-Rauxel won the float category with their entry themed "A Strong We". The "Wanner Mädels and Jungs" came in second place in the float category, while the SV Neptun, Herne's largest swimming club, won the foot group category. The Palliative Network and the Wanne-Eickeler Chimney Sweeps came in second and third place respectively in the foot group category.
Notable sights included the Cranger Christmas Magic float, which sprayed artificial snowflakes to Christmas melodies, and the Cranger Kirmes slogan, "The one and only Cranger Kirmes. Anything else is just a fair!", adopted by many groups.
The parade started at 10:30 AM and took place along a four-kilometer route from Eickel to Crange. The float of the reigning NRW Kirmes Queen, Pauline I., led the parade, followed by Schausteller President Albert Ritter (DSB) and the Ruhrkohle Orchestra. In the middle of Wanne, the Herner Turn-Club and the Baukauer Turn-Club received applause for their cheers for Herne.
The three-member jury, consisting of Marvin Boettcher, Dr. Dirk Drenk, and Jochen Schübel, evaluated the floats and foot groups for originality and creativity. The parade proceeded without any gaps or delays, and no notable incidents occurred, according to procession leader Eduard Belker. The mood was described as excellent despite the rain showers, with happy people singing, dancing, taking selfies, and creating a colorful party zone.
For the first time, a special prize for exceptional social engagement was awarded to Hot-Jüngerbistro and Wittekindshof, as well as to Muntefering Industry and City Cleaning GmbH for the restored Bimmelbahn. The winners of the floats and foot groups will receive prizes of 500, 350, and 200 euros respectively, to be presented on August 4th during the "Meet in the Tent" event at the Cranger Festhalle.
The Cranger Kirmes parade, with its rich history and significance, continues to celebrate local community spirit and carnival tradition, providing a platform for local clubs and groups to demonstrate their creativity and preserve local customs.
The judges commended the Evangelical Hospital Community Herne/Castrop-Rauxel for their creatively themed float, "A Strong We," which won the float category in this year's Cranger Kirmes parade. Additionally, the decorative displays and overall performances of the home-and-garden entries contributed to the lively and engaging atmosphere of the parade.
