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Wednesday 11 November 2026 · DACH, Benelux, Alsace · checked 2 Nov 2026

St Martin's Day 2026, joining in on your own.

St Martin’s Day is Wednesday 11 November 2026. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Alsace, Belgium and the Netherlands, towns hold lantern walks that evening, often with a bonfire (Martinsfeuer) and hot drinks. These are mainly family events: children lead with lanterns. Below are 13 walks whose 2026 date and time are on an organiser’s, parish’s or city’s own page.

A newcomer can join as a spectator or walk along: bring a lantern, stand near the fire and the drink stall afterwards, and say hello. It is not a nightlife event, and that is part of its charm.

See the walks Sources

2026 lantern walks

Where to go: 13 dated listings

Each card comes from the page linked on it. Some walks are on the days around 11 November; the date is on the card.

Gütersloh (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
From 17:30
Where
Start and finish Konrad-Adenauer-Platz at the town hall; route through the centre
Good to know
Led by St Martin on a horse. The story of the cloak is read in front of the town hall; the fire brigade sells bratwurst, sugar pretzels and children’s punch. Organised by the Verkehrsverein and the fire brigade.
Official page ↗

Stuttgart, Fanny-Leicht-Park (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
17:00
Where
Fanny-Leicht-Park, Stuttgart
Good to know
Martinsumzug with a Martin play; bring your own lantern. Afterwards punch, mulled wine and bread to share on the church square. Listed in the city’s calendar under the Catholic church.
Official page ↗

Groß-Umstadt (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
Lantern walk meets 17:00; festival from 17:30
Where
Meet at Wendelinuspark by the Pfälzer Schloss; festival on the historic Marktplatz
Good to know
A big fire on the market square, music, treats and hot drinks. Guests are invited with their own lanterns, and asked to bring their own cup (“Bring your cup”).
Official page ↗

München, Altstadt (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
16:30 to about 17:30
Where
Frauenplatz in front of the Frauenkirche, to the Jesuit church St. Michael, Neuhauser Straße 6
Good to know
Martin play, then a lantern walk with songs through the old town and a short service. The page says it is for families, children and everyone who wants to walk along. Organised by the Frauenkirche parish and the inner-city parishes.
Official page ↗

Speyer (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
17:30
Where
Route from St. Georgengasse to the Heidentürmchen (city of Speyer)
Good to know
Traditional Martinsumzug on St Martin’s Day. The page gives 17:30 as the listed time.
Official page ↗

Sankt Augustin-Meindorf (DE)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
From 17:30
Where
KGS, Rubensstraße 2a
Good to know
The city’s page lists the Meindorf walk on 11 Nov and other districts on 6, 7, 8 and 9 Nov, so a newcomer can catch one on a different evening.
Official page ↗

Eisenstadt (AT)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
Lantern walk 16:30 to 17:30; festive Mass 09:00 to 11:00
Where
Lantern walk from Schloss Esterházy to the cathedral (Dom)
Good to know
St Martin is the patron saint of Burgenland. The diocese lists the lantern walk and a festive Mass with the bishop the same day.
Official page ↗

Linz, Linzer Schloss (AT)

Date
Sun 8 Nov 2026 (weekend before the day)
Time
14:00 to 18:00; lantern walk 17:00
Where
Linzer Schloss (Schlossmuseum)
Good to know
Free entry to the museum from 14:00, crafts for children, lantern walk at 17:00 with the Martin story, then a lantern dance and refreshments. Organised by OÖ Familienbund and OÖ Landes-Kultur.
Official page ↗

Basel, Titus Kirche (CH)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
17:15 (lantern making 15:00 to 17:00)
Where
Titus Kirche, Kirchplatz, Basel (Gundeldingen-Bruderholz parish)
Good to know
Gather around a fire bowl on the church square, then sing and walk a short lantern route together. You can make a lantern beforehand or bring your own.
Official page ↗

Wissembourg, Alsace (FR)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
18:00, arriving about 19:00
Where
Meet at the Saint-Jean church, walk to the abbey church (Wissembourg)
Good to know
Short celebration with a children’s skit, welcome from Saint Martin, lantern walk along a marked route. Free access. Children bring their own lanterns; high-visibility vests are recommended. Organised by the Protestant parish.
Official page ↗

Aalst (BE)

Date
Tue 10 Nov 2026 (eve of the day)
Time
17:00 programme, 18:00 start, 19:00 concert
Where
Start Oude Vismarkt; 1.5 km through the centre; ends at Werfplein
Good to know
Light and art installations along the route, then a drum concert and a fire-breather. Free; registration is not required. Children without a lantern can collect one from 16:00 at Museum ’t Gasthuys while stocks last. The city says this is the eighth edition.
Official page ↗

Utrecht, Sint Maarten Parade (NL)

Date
Sat 7 Nov 2026 (weekend before the day)
Time
18:00 to 21:00
Where
Inner city of Utrecht; about 4 km route, join anywhere along it
Good to know
This year the audience walks the route past the Domkerk, Museum Catharijneconvent and other sites, with light sculptures, choirs and brass bands. Bring something that lights up: a lantern, a halo, light-up shoes.
Official page ↗

Hoogland (NL)

Date
Wed 11 Nov 2026
Time
18:30 to 20:00
Where
Start at ’t Driespan (Sint Caecilia clubhouse), Sportlaan, Hoogland; ends at the Sint Martinuskerk
Good to know
Lantern walk through the streets of Langenoord, announced by the local residents’ association (Vereniging Dorpsbelangen Hoogland).
Official page ↗

This is a selection, not a full list: nearly every town and parish holds its own walk, and many announce times just a few weeks ahead. Two lantern events we found (Zwolle, Hengelo) were left out because we found no organiser or city page for them. Check your own district’s parish or town website.

How a newcomer joins in

  • Be honest about what it is. Most walks are made for children and their families. Adults on their own are not turned away on these pages, but nothing is aimed at them: expect singing, a short story and a short route.
  • Watch, or walk along. The pages say lanterns are brought by guests (Groß-Umstadt, Wissembourg, Basel). Bringing your own lantern, or making one beforehand where the page offers it (Basel, Aalst, Linz), makes it easier to join in.
  • Look for the fire and the drinks. Groß-Umstadt has a big fire on the market square with hot drinks; Gütersloh’s fire brigade sells bratwurst and punch; Stuttgart ends with punch and mulled wine. These are the easiest places to talk to people.
  • Martinsgans. Goose is the traditional meal around the day (Wikipedia). Look for “Martinsgans” on restaurant menus that week; a table for one at a bar counter works well. We have no verified restaurant list.
  • Dress for standing outside in November and arrive early. Times above are start times; people gather beforehand. Our tip, not an official rule.
  • Pubs and bars. After the walk, a local pub or wine bar is the natural next step. Ask a parent at the fire where they go, or just pick one near the finish point.

What it is

St Martin’s Day (Martinmas) is the feast day of Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who became a bishop, known for the legend of cutting his cloak in two for a beggar. It falls on 11 November. In many German and Dutch-speaking towns there are processions of children with lanterns, often led by a horseman as St Martin; in the Rhineland it is also marked with bonfires. Eating a Martinmas goose is a long tradition (Wikipedia).

Other 11.11 plans

11 November is also the start of the Karneval season in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Mainz and Aachen. In the Netherlands, Sint Maarten and Sinterklaas have their own guide on Newcomer Kit.

Karneval opening on 11.11 · Newcomer Kit: Sinterklaas and Sint Maarten · 11.11: go out, don’t shop

Sources

Where this comes from

Checked 2 Nov 2026. We show no time that we could not read on an organiser, parish or city page.

Questions people ask

When is St Martin’s Day in 2026?

Wednesday 11 November 2026. Many lantern walks are held that evening; some take place on the days before or after.

Is it a children’s event?

It is mainly a family event: children carry lanterns and sing. Adults come along, and the fire and the drink stalls are where people talk. Nothing on these pages is restricted to children.

Do I need a lantern?

Several pages ask guests to bring their own (Groß-Umstadt, Wissembourg, Basel). Some offer lantern making or a free lantern for children (Basel, Aalst, Linz).

What is the Martinsfeuer?

A bonfire lit during the Martin festival, common in the Rhineland (Wikipedia). Groß-Umstadt lists a big fire on the market square.

What about Dutch and Flemish towns?

We list Utrecht (7 November), Hoogland (11 November) and Aalst (10 November). The Newcomer Kit guide covers the Dutch customs in more detail.

Related

Newcomer Kit: Sinterklaas and Sint Maarten · Karneval opening on 11.11 · Christmas markets 2026

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