LWL Roman Museum in Haltern am See

"Hail Agrippina!" will be the chant at the 2026 Roman Days in Haltern when the granddaughter of Emperor Augustus arrives. At her side are her husband Germanicus, the celebrated general, and her uncle Tiberius. In a large pompa, a festive procession, they enter the Roman camp at Aliso and celebrate the emperor's birthday with spectacular equestrian games at the LWL Roman Museum. On 29 and 30 August, fans of Roman antiquity from all over Germany will get their money's worth in Haltern am See. There were almost 16,000 in the record year 2024. Tickets are now available online.

"We are delighted that Agrippina, Germanicus and Tiberius, members of the imperial family themselves, will be honouring us with a visit for the first time," explains museum director Dr Josef Mühlenbrock. "The Roman historian Cassius Dio reports on equestrian games that were performed by Tiberius and Germanicus in 11 AD in honour of Emperor Augustus in Germania on the right bank of the Rhine," Mühlenbrock continues. Even before the participation of the highest-ranking Tiberius and the crowd favourite Germanicus, the presence of Agrippina was probably the highlight of the festivities for many spectators.

Events and military demonstrations such as these provided an opportunity to visualise the army's loyalty to the ruler and to publicly stage the military strength of the empire. They were a mixture of military exercise, tournament and theatre performance. The riders wore costly helmets with colourful feathers and masks, breastplates and shields, which were less suitable for battle than for display. They were used to stage mythical heroes or figures of the gods.

Such games also had a strong religious character. They could be dedicated to a god or - as here - to the emperor, elevating Augustus to the rank of a divinely protected ruler.

A hands-on Roman experience

Of course, the legionaries set up their tents on site again: they march in full armour and demonstrate not only the turtle formation, but also the penetrating power of a ballista, a Roman cannon. Bakers, potters, builders, blacksmiths, slingers and Teutons also present their crafts and offer their wares. There will even be a Roman water organ player giving samples of his skills.

Visitors can immerse themselves in the world of the Romans 2,000 years ago with numerous hands-on activities: from stroking a real mule and taking selfies in Roman clothing to making jewellery.

On 18 September in Haltern am See, the internationally acclaimed NDR Big Band will join forces with the genre-bending band ToyToy and the Bundesjazzorchester (Bujazzo). The audience in the auditorium of the school centre will be able to experience the results of this electrifying, groovy collaboration live. Tickets are now available. 

On this evening, established jazz greats, Germany’s finest up-and-coming talents and innovative sound architects from the young scene will come together to demonstrate what jazz can be in the 21st century: bold, free and full of energy. “A celebration of togetherness” was how the Süddeutsche Zeitung described this project.

At this exclusive guest performance in Haltern am See, the boundaries between generations and genres will blur. The NDR Big Band, one of the world’s leading ensembles for contemporary jazz, and the band ToyToy, which combines visionary jazz with high-energy hip-hop, will present a unique, urban sound. The audience can look forward to a dynamic fusion of precise big band arrangements, driving beats and virtuoso improvisations, where intellectual rigour meets club culture. The Bundesjazzorchester (Bujazzo) is the official talent incubator for German jazz. Comprising the country’s finest up-and-coming musicians, the orchestra demonstrates the genre’s tremendous vitality and versatility in 2026.

The event is organised by the Haltern am See Music School and generously supported by the Masthoff Cultural Foundation.

All the information at a glance:

• Event: NDR Big Band, Bujazzo & Toytoy – Live in Haltern am See

• Date: Friday, 18 September 2026

• Start time: 8.00 pm (doors open: 7.00 pm)

• Venue: School Centre Assembly Hall, Holtwicker Str. 3, 45721 Haltern am See

• Organisers: Town of Haltern am See & Haltern am See Music School

• Sponsor: Masthoff Cultural Foundation

The 1st Landsknecht Fanfare Corps Haltern am See turns 70

Here is the programme for the weekend:

Saturday, 19 September from 2 pm: Musical fun from Haltern - for Haltern. Meeting of Haltern brass bands & supporting programme in the park

from 6 pm: Admission to the big anniversary party in the marquee - with the Kitt-Funken from Olfen, the Haltern Sound Orchestra and DJ Sally & DJ Felti (admission: €16)

Sunday, 20 September from 11 a.m.: Meeting of the IG pure fanfare bands from NRW, with up to 13 bands on the market square

from 2 pm: Free live performances in the marquee

When British humour meets Westphalian directness, Christian Schulte-Loh is not far away. Born in Haltern, he returns to his home town with his new programme "Import - Export" and provides an evening of comedy with international subtlety, razor-sharp observations and a tongue-in-cheek look at cultural differences. In "Import - Export", the London "trained" double agent of humour takes a pointed and self-deprecating look at the question of whether we Germans are actually funnier than the English. Christian Schulte-Loh combines British stand-up with German directness and a keen sense of cultural differences.