For some the so-called fifth season is the Carnival period but for the residents of Oberhausen it is when the funfair is held during the feast of Corpus Christi.

At that time, the center of the city turns into a place of hustle and bustle, laughter and fun attracting about one million visitors each and every year.

The opening of the event is always on Wednesday afternoon, on Friday the traditional morning get-together takes place and finally, fireworks conclude the whole spectacle on the following Monday at eleven at night. Roundabouts, beer gardens, funfair rides and the usual nostalgic entertainment abounds.

It is said that a forerunner of the funfair has been in existence since the thirteenth century, although no documentary evidence has been found to support this claim. Either way, the folk festival is a deep-seated tradition and has certainly been held at that time of year since 1829.