DI’s guide: new products and summer events in the Ruhr

Veröffentlicht: 03.08.2026 Lesezeit: 3 Min.

KUMO cup with new products and summer events in the Ruhr

I’m DI, founder of SteinKunstWerk. This international journal is where I can be direct: the Ruhr is not a sensible day trip from every corner of Europe. But if you live in North Rhine-Westphalia, are staying around Düsseldorf or Cologne, are travelling through western Germany, or are visiting from the Netherlands or Belgium, August offers several very good reasons to look beyond the usual city-break list.

I prefer days that are memorable without becoming a military operation. One event, one relaxed return home and enough room to change the plan if the weather, traffic or general mood says otherwise.

Four Ruhr ideas for the next two weeks

6–16 August: Cranger Kirmes in Herne. Large, bright, loud and completely uninterested in being understated.
7–8 August: Dortmund’s free MICRO!FESTIVAL, with street theatre, music and international performers.
Until 28 August: Sommer am U around Dortmund U for a shorter, more flexible evening.
From 20 August: Ruhrtriennale, where industrial buildings become stages rather than background scenery.

The linked calendar pages are in German, but I use them to collect dates, times and official event links in one place.

What do new products have to do with a day out?

I do not like articles that turn every excursion into a shopping list. A fairground does not require a matching soap, and a theatre performance does not become better because somebody has placed a vase next to it. What matters to me is the return: washing off the day, making tea or coffee and letting the pace drop before the next task begins.

Handmade ceramics for the return home

The beige KUMO cup is my quiet choice. The grey-black KUMO cup feels closer to the Ruhr’s industrial character. For tea or matcha, I would choose the handmade OCHA Mixed Clay cup.

Practical care after heat, crowds or a road trip

The new HOPERY soaps are vegan and palm-oil-free. Bergamot Mandarin is fresh, while Quince Rhubarb is fruitier. The 3-in-1 soap box is the practical part for hotels, camping, guest rooms and road trips.

A travel memory that does not look like a souvenir

The mustard-yellow DREIECK vase is small but visible. Place one printed photo beside it and the day has a place at home without turning the entire living room into a holiday archive.

My personal plan

One event, followed by one quiet moment at home. This week I would choose Crange for energy, a KUMO cup for the return and the radical decision that a few messages can remain unanswered until tomorrow.

See you soon, DI
Founder of SteinKunstWerk