Taylor Swift: ‘Welcome to Swiftkirchen!’ Mayor Karin Welge approves temporary renaming

Gelsenkirchen,Germany is eagerly anticipating US mega-star Taylor Swift and the tens of thousands of Swifties expected to attend her three concerts at the Arena from July 17 to 19.

The first visible sign of this excitement is the temporary renaming of Gelsenkirchen to "Swiftkirchen." Swiftie Aleshanee Westhoff from Emmerich initiated a petition in recent weeks and wrote to Mayor Karin Welge. In a letter to Westhoff, Welge expressed her delight: "It's a great idea to temporarily rename Gelsenkirchen to 'Swiftkirchen,' and I am especially pleased that you can witness the temporary 'renaming' of Gelsenkirchen live today."

Today, the first entrance sign to "Swiftkirchen" was symbolically installed on Ebertstraße by Aleshanee Westhoff. "This is just the beginning. We will be placing many more signs in high-traffic areas around Gelsenkirchen in the coming days," announced Markus Schwardtmann, Head of Public Relations for the city.

Gelsenkirchen will transform more into "Swiftkirchen" over the coming days. A "Taylor-Swift-Tram" by Bogestra is already in operation and is expected to be a popular selfie spot, along with the red frames set up around the city, which will receive special Swiftie-themed decorations.

Moreover, Taylor Swift will temporarily have a place on Gelsenkirchen's Walk of Fame during her visit, marked by a uniquely designed stone. This makes a visit to Buer a must for any Swiftie. The city and its marketing organization have planned additional surprises, according to Schwardtmann. "There will be many small and large surprises for Swifties to discover in Gelsenkirchen."

One confirmed event is a large open-air Taylor Swift party for those who couldn't secure tickets but still want to be near the star. With support from the city, the city marketing organization, and the City Initiative Gelsenkirchen, Heinrich-König-Platz will transform into "Taylor Town" from July 17 to 19, featuring various activities like swap meets, karaoke, and tattoos.

"As Mayor, I am thrilled that Taylor Swift, currently the world's most successful singer, will be performing three times in Gelsenkirchen. This international attention on our city, following the EURO 2024, is significant," said Karin Welge about the concert event of the year in "Swiftkirchen."