March - Spring in the Old Town

This marks the beginning of the numerous open-air events in the old Hanse town: At the end of March a fairground-like hustle and bustle around the historical old Mill at the Great Pond provides fun and entertainment for the whole family. Carousels, stalls, attractions for children, and, of course, diverse activities on the subject of "spring" express the distinctive flair of this time of the year.

This is the first Sunday in the year when the shops are allowed to open from 1 p.m. - 6. p.m..

March - Soest Pub Festival

May 2009 - Bördetag

The Soest Bördetag is a novel, colourful old town festival which introduces you to the citizens, the surrounding countryside of the Soest Börde and its inhabitants; cheerful, carefree people meeting in the hurly burly of an annual festival. Music, dancing, events where everyone can take part, exhibitions, eating and drinking, and a great programme for children - all this in front of the spectacular, medieval backdrop of the old town centre of Soest. The Bördetag has a different theme each year, which, presented in an entertaining and exciting manner, is the focal point of this town festival. The shops are open on the Sunday from 1p.m. until 6p.m. Further information to be found here

June and August - Flea Markets in the moat

The largest flea market in the region From a humble start in 1994 it has blossomed to become the largest flea market in the region, with about 400 dealers. In the dry moats, along the medieval town walls, you have the chance to haggle and bargain over the contents of Soest’s attics and cellars. Particular emphasis is laid on private dealers so very few professional traders take part. The flea market in the moats now attracts more than 40,000 guests and has long taken on the character of a public festival. Applications possible from March onward.

June - Ducking in the Great Pond (7p.m.)

The ducking in the Great Pond launches the festival of the Bürgerschützen. The "miscreants" undergo a procedure which is derived from the old Soest criminal law. In medieval times "good for nothing" citizens were propelled from the wooden see-saw into the pond. Nowadays the miscreants don’t have to be villains in order to "walk the see-saw". The modern version is just a bit of fun thoroughly enjoyed by the many onlookers.

July - Soest Winegrowers` Market

July - A Summer Night at the Campus

A huge open-air party takes place on the campus of the South Westphalian University of Applied Sciences(FH Südwestfalen) which was formerly the barracks of the Belgian Forces at the Lübeck Ring. A mega open-air party in unusual, attractive surroundings is what we can promise you once more in 2009. This is a fitting way to ring in the holidays, enjoy good music and a cold beer in a relaxed atmosphere with your friends. This fête has long since become a meeting place not only for the students of the university but also for the citizens of Soest and guests from the whole region.

July - "Saddle Festival" - "Unrestricted Access" between Hamm and Soest on Two Wheels

This Sunday is dedicated to the bicycle! After the huge success of the first two years with tenthousands of participants  a unique opportunity is once again on offer for all those who prefer to progress under their own steam. A 40km route between Hamm and Soest will be closed off to motor traffic. Cyclists have unrestricted access to their own specially reserved road. In the centres of both Hamm and Soest the well-known bicycle markets offer, as always, interesting items for cyclists. Refreshments can, of course, be purchased, not only in the towns but also out on the “open road.” “The Saddle Festival” is a joint event organised by the towns of Hamm and Soest, by the local newspaper the Westphalian Advertiser, and the ADFC. Between 11am and 5 pm 2009  the Soest Marketing is organising the 7th “Day of the Bicycle” which takes place around the town hall. In addition to a varied stage programme there is also the popular bicycle auction, where bicycles from the Soest Lost Property Office are auctioned off. There is also a tour of the old town by bike, a useful bicycle market with lots of special offers, a cycle rally for children, the popular Soest Advertiser cycle tour, presentations of specialist tours for cyclists, an information stand and activities by the ADFC (General German Cyclist Club) and much more.

July - Off to the City!

This year the Market Square will once again "vibrate" for a whole day. The Soest Marketing and the Hellweg Radio provide seven hours of good humour and live music right in the middle of Soest. Last year there were over 15,500 visitors. The hearts of thousands of fans will once again beat faster at the chance of seeing THEIR band "live on stage". A multi-coloured mixture of newcomers, up and coming performers from the charts and Dancefloor guarantee fun and entertainment from beginning to end for the whole family.

August - Music Days in Summer

September - Börde Agricultural Market

On this Sunday when the shops are allowed to open from 1pm until 6pm, around 25 organ grinders from the whole of Germany gather in the old town centre for a musical get-together. The delightful combination of a colourful agricultural market between the St. Patrokli Church and the Market Square and the epicurean and cultural diversions enriches your Sunday shopping spree and guarantees carefree pleasure for the whole family.

September - Soest Short Film Days

The Soest Short Film Days originated in 2001 and stemmed from an idea to screen short films exclusively instead of a week of feature-length films. The professed aim is to establish a section for short films in the region of Westphalia supplementary to the well-known larger Short Film Festival. A second aspiration is to become THE Westphalian Festival. Several different sections are represented during the Short Film Days: one is the international competition where the emphasis is on "The German Short Film" (The Soest Short Film Prize will be awarded here as well as a prize for a film voted for by the audience). The "Börde-Quickie" is reserved for amateur filmmakers from the Hellweg region. (Here, too, two similar prizes, the Börde Quickie, and one voted for by the audience, are awarded). There is also a special themed parallel programme, which changes annually. For further information see: www. soester-kurzfilmtage.de

November - Soest All Saints` Fair (Allerheiligen Kirmes) The Largest Old Town Centre Fair in Europe

The indisputable highlight of the year in Soest, and not just for the inhabitants, is the All Saints´ Fair, Europe´s largest old town centre fair. It can now look back on a tradition which is more than 600 years old. The unique atmosphere of this fair attracts around a million visitors annually. The most modern carousels from all around the world set up in front of the venerable, medieval backdrop of the old town centre of Soest and spread over an area of over 50,000sqm. are always an unforgettable experience. Besides the Munich October Fest, the Cranger Fair and the Bremer Freimarkt, the Soest All Saints’ Fair is among the most important funfairs of its kind. More at www.soester-allerheiligenkirmes.org

November - December - Soest Christmas Market

The lovingly decorated stalls of the Christmas Market are picturesquely situated between the imposing green sandstone churches and the historical half-timbered houses. There is a daily stage programme with dancing, music and theatre performances. Senior citizens read fairy tales to the children, the Christmas Angel opens the appropriate door of the large Advent calendar and a trumpet player climbs the steps to the church tower each evening to play familiar melodies. At the weekend children can ?phone Santa Claus and from the 2nd weekend in Advent the Westphalian Nativity Scene can be admired in the St. Patrokli Church. At this time special guided tours are on offer on Saturdays and Sundays. More at http://www.soester-weihnachtsmarkt.de

December - New Years Eve Run from Werl to Soest

At the conclusion of the year thousands of amateur runners put in a last spurt from Werl, along the B1 to Soest. At about midday then, at the finishing line in the Market Square in Soest, one can enjoy a farewell drink and take a look back at the year just gone by. More at -- www.silvesterlauf.com