Overview
- Organizers in Kempen expect 25,000 to 30,000 spectators as about 2,500 schoolchildren lead the long-running Martinszug.
- The procession is scheduled to start at 17:15, with the inner-city ring closed to car traffic from 16:00 for crowd management.
- A fireworks display of roughly 15 minutes follows the route to the castle, with Martinstüten handed out at the town hall afterward.
- Kempen’s event has been held for well over a century and is considered among the largest St. Martin processions in Germany.
- Elsewhere, authorities in Erfurt expect thousands at an ecumenical service and lantern march, reflecting customs rooted in the legend of Martin of Tours.