Since 2013 the Hafendampf Festival has firmly been established in Essens graffiti scene and far beyond this circle. This annual festival regularly is an attraction for local, national and international graffiti artists. In the Ruhr area Hafendampf is an event that has no equal.

Even in bright weather that location below motorway A42 at Hafenstrasse, where Hafendampf is domiciled traditionally, is a dusky place. Passers walk their dogs, cyclists on their daily routes rush past on their way for excercises and traffic – cars as well as trucks – is on buisiness. If you wouldn’t know, you wouldn’t guess to find a high class graffiti gallery there. There are five pilllars on each side. 10 pillars in total, additionally a huge front – and shutoff wall. They all are painted mostly on each side.