Festivals & events in Berlin

The multicultural Karneval der Kulturen and the annual Christopher Street Day Parade are summer celebrations of the city's cultural diversity. The Berlin International Film Festival brings a welcome bit of glitz. Throughout the year, an assortment of trade fairs such as ITB Berlin and Popkomm rotate through Messegelände.

At the other end of town, the May Day Riots are Kreuzberg's rite of spring. Twice annually, the Lange Nacht der Museen brings to life the exhibits in Berlin's museums. In summer, the city buzzes with open-air concert programmes. And at Christmas, ice-skating rinks and seasonal markets spring up all over.

Critic's choice

Karneval der Kulturen

Where: Kreuzberg
When: 4 days in May/June
Tel & website: 6097 7022/www.karneval-berlin.de
Inspired by the Notting Hill Carnival and intended as a celebration of Berlin's ethnic and cultural diversity, the long and popular weekend (always Pentecost) centres on a 'multi-kulti' parade involving dozens of floats, hundreds of musicians and thousands of spectators. The route changes every year: see the website.

Christopher Street Day Parade

When: Sat in late June
Tel & website: 2362 8632/www.csd-berlin.de
Originally organised to commemorate the 1969 riots outside the Stonewall Bar on Christopher Street in New York, the fun and flamboyant parade has become one of the summer's most enjoyable and inclusive street parties, attracting straights as well as gays. In 2008, the parade took a new route, starting on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and ending, 4 miles (6.5km) later, at the Seigessäule.

Tanz im August

Where: (organisers) HAU, Hallesches Ufer 32, Kreuzberg
When: 2-3wks in Aug
Tel & website: 2590 0427/www.tanzimaugust.de
Tanz im August is Germany's leading modern dance festival, with big-name participants and an international reputation. An annual showcase for global dance trends.

Lange Nacht der Museen

Where: various venues
When: 1 evening in late Jan & late Aug
Tel & website: 902 699 444/www.lange-nacht-der-museen.de
Twice a year, around 100 of Berlin's museums, collections, archives and exhibition halls stay open into the early hours with special events, concerts, readings, lectures and performances for the 'Long Night of the Museums'. A ticket gets you free travel on special shuttle buses and regular public transport.

Popkomm

Where: Messe Berlin, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 3 days in Sept
Tel & website: 3038 3009/www.popkomm.de
Europe's largest domestic music industry trade fair takes place in September and brings three days of business schmoozing, and lots of music to go with it. As well as the trade-only conference, the city hosts myriad showcases and live events.

Art Forum Berlin

Where: Messegelände am Funkturm, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 5 days in late Oct/early Nov
Tel & website: 3038 2076/www.art-forum-berlin.de
Since 1996, the Art Forum Berlin has sought to bring together gallery-owners and artists for this trade fair of contemporary art. The event attracts many of Europe's leading galleries plus thousands of lay enthusiasts. It also coincides with Berliner Liste (www.berliner-liste.org) and Preview Berlin (www.previewberlin.de), which feature newer galleries and artists.

Christmas Markets

Where: Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, Breitscheidplatz, Charlottenburg
When: Christmas season
Tel & website: 213 3290/www.weihnachtsmarkt-deutschland.de
Traditional markets spring up across Berlin during the Christmas season, offering toys, mulled wine and gingerbread. This is one of the biggest.

Internationale Grüne Woche Berlin

Where: Messegelände am Funkturm, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 10 days in Jan
Tel & website: 3038 2267/www.gruenewoche.de
An orgy of food and drink from the far corners of Germany and across the planet.

Berlin International Film Festival

Where: Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten & other venues
When: 1-2wks in mid Feb
Tel & website: 259 200/www.berlinale.de
Now approaching 60 years old, the Berlinale is one of the world's major cinema festivals, featuring over 300 movies from all five continents. It is centred at the Potsdamer Platz cinemas and attended by international stars, providing this normally glamour-proof city with a bit of glitz in the dead of winter.

Spring

MaerzMusik - Festival für aktuelle Musik

Where: (organisers) Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstrasse 24, Tiergarten
When: 2-3wks in Mar
Tel & website: 2548 9218/www.berlinerfestspiele.de
A holdover from the more culture-conscious days of the old East Germany, this annual contemporary music festival invites international avant-garde composers and musicians to present new works.

ITB Berlin

Where: Messegelände am Funkturm, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 5 days in mid Mar
Tel & website: 3038 2275/www.itb-berlin.de
Tourism boards, travel agents and hotels satisfy Berliner wanderlust at this major trade fair.

Zeitfenster - Biennale für alte Musik

Where: Konzerthaus, Gendarmenmarkt 2, Mitte
When: 1wk in Apr 2010
Tel & website: 203 090/www.konzerthaus.de
The Biennial Festival of Early Music focuses on works from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Deutschland Pokal-Endspiele

Where: Olympiastadion, Olympischer Platz 3, Charlottenburg
When: late Apr/early May
Tel: 300 633
The domestic football cup final has been taking place at the Olympiastadion every year since 1985. It regularly attracts some 65,000 fans and tickets are very hard to come by.

May Day Riots

Where: around Kottbusser Tor, Kreuzberg
When: 1 May
An annual event since 1987, when Autonomen engaged in violent clashes with police. The riots have quietened in recent years, but Kreuzberg is still lively on May Day.

Qatar Telecom German Open

Where: LTTC Rot-Weiss, Gottfried-von-Cramm-Weg 47-55, Grunewald
When: 1st or 2nd wk in May
Tel & website: box office 4430 4430/www.german-open.org
The world's fifth largest international women's tennis championship. After match point, the focus switches to a gala ball and other glitzy social affairs. Tickets are hard to come by.

Theatertreffen Berlin

Where: (organisers) Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstrasse 24, Charlottenburg
When: 3wks in May
Tel & website: 2548 9100/www.berlinerfestspiele.de
A jury picks out ten of the most innovative and controversial new theatre productions from companies across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and the winners come to Berlin to perform their pieces in May.

Karneval der Kulturen

Where: Kreuzberg
When: 4 days in May/June
Tel & website: 6097 7022/www.karneval-berlin.de
Inspired by the Notting Hill Carnival and intended as a celebration of Berlin's ethnic and cultural diversity, the long and popular weekend (always Pentecost) centres on a 'multi-kulti' parade involving dozens of floats, hundreds of musicians and thousands of spectators. The route changes every year: see the website.

Museumsinselfestival

Where: Museumsinsel, Mitte
When: May-Sept
Website: www.smb.museum
An open-air season of high-quality rock and classical concerts, readings, plays and film screenings, with events staged not only on Museumsinsel but also at the Kulturforum complex near Potsdamer Platz, and at the Dahlem museums. Previous events have ranged from Serbian Gypsy orchestras through a screening of Battleship Potemkin with live soundtrack by the Pet Shop Boys and Dresdner Sinfoniker to shows by the likes of Nigel Kennedy and Patti Smith.

In Transit

Where: Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, Tiergarten
When: 2wks in May/June
Tel & website: 3978 7175/www.hkw.de
Dance and performance artists from beyond Europe. Audiences can watch artists prepare their pieces, or wait for the resulting evening performances.

Summer

Yoga-Festival Berlin

Where: Shanti-Park, Alt-Moabit 141, Mitte
When: wknd in June
Tel & website: 3810 8093/www.yogafestival.de
Om-tastic annual event now in its fifth year. A full weekend programme at the Shanti-Park offers practice sessions in the various yoga forms with teachers of note from many different countries. There is also music, a market and special events for children.

Berlin Philharmonie at the Waldbühne

Where: Waldbühne, Am Glockenturm, Charlottenburg
When: 1 day in June
Tel & website: administration 810 750/box office 0180 533 2433/www.berlin-philharmonic.com
The Philharmonie ends its season with an open-air concert that sells out months in advance. Over 20,000 Berliners light the atmospheric 'forest theatre' with candles once darkness falls.

International Aerospace Exhibition & Conference

Where: Flughafen Schönefeld
When: 8-13 June 2010
Tel & website: 3038 2014/www.ila-berlin.de
This very popular biennial event, also known as the Berlin Air Show, is held at Schönefeld airport. It features around 1,000 exhibitors from 40 countries, with aircraft of all kinds on display, and a serious focus on space.

Fête de la Musique

Where: various venues
When: 21 June
Tel & website: 4171 5289/www.fetedelamusique.de
A regular summer solstice happening since 1995, this music extravaganza of bands and DJs takes place all across the city. The music selection is mixed, with DJs playing everything from heavy metal to Schlager.

Deutsch-Französisches Volksfest

Where: Zentraler Festplatz am Kurt-Schumacher-Damm, Kurt-Schumacher-Damm 207-245, Reinickendorf
When: 4wks in June/July
Tel & website: 213 3290/www.deutsch-franzoesisches-volksfest.de
A survivor from the days when this area was the French Sector, the German-French Festival offers fairground rides, French music and cuisine, and Bastille Day fireworks.

Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest

Where: Nollendorfplatz, Schöneberg
When: wknd before Christopher Street Day
Tel & website: 2147 3586/www.regenbogenfonds.de
The Lesbian & Gay Street Fair takes over Schöneberg every year, filling several blocks in West Berlin's gay quarter. Participating bars, clubs, food stands and musical acts make this a dizzying, non-stop event that also serves as kick-off for the following week's Christopher Street Day Parade.

Christopher Street Day Parade

When: Sat in late June
Tel & website: 2362 8632/www.csd-berlin.de
Originally organised to commemorate the 1969 riots outside the Stonewall Bar on Christopher Street in New York, the fun and flamboyant parade has become one of the summer's most enjoyable and inclusive street parties, attracting straights as well as gays. In 2008, the parade took a new route, starting on Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse and ending, 4 miles (6.5km) later, at the Seigessäule.

Classic Open Air

Where: Gendarmenmarkt, Mitte
When: 4-7 days in early July
Tel & website: 3157 5413/www.classicopenair.de
Big names usually open this concert series held in one of Berlin's most beautiful squares.

Deutsch-Amerikanisches Volksfest

Where: Truman Plaza, Hüttenweg, corner of Clayallee, Zehlendorf
When: 4wks in July/Aug
Tel & website: 213 3290/www.deutsch-amerikanisches-volksfest.de
Originally established by the US forces stationed in West Berlin, the German-American Festival offers a tacky but popular mix of carnival rides, cowboys doing lasso tricks, candy floss, hot dogs and Yankee beer.

Tanz im August

Where: (organisers) HAU, Hallesches Ufer 32, Kreuzberg
When: 2-3wks in Aug
Tel & website: 2590 0427/www.tanzimaugust.de
Tanz im August is Germany's leading modern dance festival, with big-name participants and an international reputation. An annual showcase for global dance trends.

Hanfparade

Where: Hallesches Tor to Rotes Rathaus
When: 1st Sat in Aug
Tel & website: 0178 659 4399/www.hanfparade.de
The organisers of the Hemp Parade seek total legalisation of the use and possession of cannabis. The route changes every year; in 2008, it started off from the Fernsehenturm and meandered through to Potsdamer Platz.

Internationales Berliner Bierfestival

Where: Karl-Marx-Allee, from Strausberger Platz to Frankfurter Tor, Friedrichshain
When: wknd in Aug
Tel & website: 6576 3560/www.bierfestival-berlin.de
Berlin's International Beer Festival showcases hundreds of beers from over 60 countries, bringing conviviality to the city's premier Stalinist boulevard.

Young.euro.classic

Where: Konzerthaus, Gendarmenmarkt 2, Mitte
When: 2wks in Aug
Tel & website: 1805 568 100/www.young-euro-classic.de
This annual summer concert programme brings together youth orchestras from around Europe.

Lange Nacht der Museen

Where: various venues
When: 1 evening in late Jan & late Aug
Tel & website: 902 699 444/www.lange-nacht-der-museen.de
Twice a year, around 100 of Berlin's museums, collections, archives and exhibition halls stay open into the early hours with special events, concerts, readings, lectures and performances for the 'Long Night of the Museums'. A ticket gets you free travel on special shuttle buses and regular public transport.

Kreuzberger festliche Tage

Where: Viktoriapark, Kreuzbergstrasse, Kreuzberg
When: 2wks in late Aug/early Sept
Tel & website: 4340 7905/www.kreuzberger-festliche-tage.de
This annual late summer festival in characterful Viktoriapark offers music, games, beer and food.

Musikfest Berlin

Where: (organisers) Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstrasse 24, Charlottenburg
When: 1wk in late Aug/early Sept
Tel & website: 254 890/www.berlinerfestspiele.de
The Berlin Symphony Orchestra collaborates with the Berlin Philharmonic and its conductor, Sir Simon Rattle, in a week of orchestral and chamber music, plus some musical theatre. Orchestras from London, New York and around Europe also participate.

Autumn

Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin

When: 2wks in Sept/Oct
Tel & website: 2787 8620/www.literaturfestival.com
Major literary event with readings, symposiums and discussions attended by both major authors and rising stars. The 2008 programme included Maria Warner, Péter Esterházy, Nancy Huston, Peter Schneider and Jáchym Topol among scores of established and up-and-coming writers from all over the world.

Berlin Marathon

Where: (organisers) Berlin-Marathon SCC Running Events GmbH, Glockenturmstrasse 23, 14055 Charlottenburg
When: last Sun in Sept
Tel & website: 3012 8810/www.berlin-marathon.com
Almost 60,000 people take part, making it one of the world's biggest marathons. It's spread over two days to accommodate runners, wheelchair athletes and in-line skaters. Because Berlin is flat and the weather moderate in September, world records are often under threat. The less ambitious can try the Berlin Half-Marathon in early April or 'City Night' in August, a 10km (6-mile) trot up and down the Ku'damm. There's also the New Year Fun Run every 1 January, when Berliners work off their hangovers. It starts at the Soviet War Memorial near the Brandenburg Gate.

Popkomm

Where: Messe Berlin, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 3 days in Sept
Tel & website: 3038 3009/www.popkomm.de
Europe's largest domestic music industry trade fair takes place in September and brings three days of business schmoozing, and lots of music to go with it. As well as the trade-only conference, the city hosts myriad showcases and live events.

Art Forum Berlin

Where: Messegelände am Funkturm, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 5 days in late Oct/early Nov
Tel & website: 3038 2076/www.art-forum-berlin.de
Since 1996, the Art Forum Berlin has sought to bring together gallery-owners and artists for this trade fair of contemporary art. The event attracts many of Europe's leading galleries plus thousands of lay enthusiasts. It also coincides with Berliner Liste (www.berliner-liste.org) and Preview Berlin (www.previewberlin.de), which feature newer galleries and artists.

Spielzeit'europa

Where: (organisers) Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstrasse 24, Charlottenburg
When: Oct-Jan
Tel & website: 254 890/www.berlinerfestspiele.de
This forum for theatre and dance from around Europe showcases theatre that incorporates new political and aesthetic ideas from a specifically European perspective. It's supplemented by German co-productions. Shows run on and off for five months.

JazzFest Berlin

Where: (organisers) Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstrasse 24, Charlottenburg
When: 4 days late Oct/early Nov
Tel & website: 254 890/www.berlinerfestspiele.de
A wide spectrum of jazz from an array of internationally renowned artists, and a fixture since 1964. The concurrent Fringe Jazz Festival (organised by JazzRadio) showcases less established acts.

Berliner Märchentage

Where: various venues
When: 3wks in mid Nov
Tel & website: 3470 9479/www.berliner-maerchentage.de
The Berlin Fairytale Festival celebrates tales from around the world each year with some 400 storytelling and music events in a carnival atmosphere.

Worldtronics

Where: Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, Tiergarten
When: 4 days in Nov
Tel & website: 3978 7175/www.hkw.de
A festival showcasing the world of electronic music in a city that loves the stuff. Guest musicians come from all over (in 2008 from Japan, Chile, Israel and the Democratic Republic of the Congo), while the trade fair covers everything from books, clubs and labels to software and sound laboratories.

Winter

Christmas Markets

Where: Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, Breitscheidplatz, Charlottenburg
When: Christmas season
Tel & website: 213 3290/www.weihnachtsmarkt-deutschland.de
Traditional markets spring up across Berlin during the Christmas season, offering toys, mulled wine and gingerbread. This is one of the biggest.

Berliner Silvesterlauf

Where: Grunewald
When: 31 Dec
Tel & website: 3012 8820/www.berlin-marathon.com
A local Berlin tradition for decades, the New Year's Eve Run (aka the 'pancake run') starts off in Grunewald at the intersection of Waldschulallee and Harbigstrasse.

Silvester

Where: around Berlin
When: 31 Dec
With Berliners' enthusiasm for tossing firecrackers and launching rockets from windows, New Year's Eve is always vivid, noisy and hazardous. Thousands celebrate at the Brandenburger Tor. Thousands more trek up to the Teufelsberg at the northern tip of Grunewald or the Viktoriapark in Kreuzberg to watch the fireworks across the city.

Tanztage

Where: Sophiensaele, Sophienstrasse 18, Mitte
When: 2wks in early Jan
Tel & website: 283 5266/www.tanztage.de
New talent featured in a fortnight of dance events.

Internationale Grüne Woche Berlin

Where: Messegelände am Funkturm, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg
When: 10 days in Jan
Tel & website: 3038 2267/www.gruenewoche.de
An orgy of food and drink from the far corners of Germany and across the planet.

UltraSchall

Where: (organisers) DeutschlandRadio Berlin, Hans-Rosenthal-Platz, Schöneberg
When: 10 days in mid Jan
Tel & website: 850 30/www.dradio.de/dlr
New music presented in high-profile venues by some of the world's leading specialist ensembles. Concerts are often broadcast live by DeutschlandRadio and Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg.

Transmediale

Where: Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg 10, Tiergarten
When: 3-5 days in late Jan/early Feb
Tel & website: 2474 9761/www.transmediale.de
One of the world's largest international festivals for media art and digital culture, with exhibitions and screenings from artists working with video, television, computer animation, internet and other visual media and digital technologies. The satellite event Club Transmediale takes place at Maria am Ostbahnhof and offers performances, discussions and media art about electronic music.

Berlin International Film Festival

Where: Potsdamer Platz, Tiergarten & other venues
When: 1-2wks in mid Feb
Tel & website: 259 200/www.berlinale.de
Now approaching 60 years old, the Berlinale is one of the world's major cinema festivals, featuring over 300 movies from all five continents. It is centred at the Potsdamer Platz cinemas and attended by international stars, providing this normally glamour-proof city with a bit of glitz in the dead of winter.

Public holidays

On public holidays (Feiertagen) it can be difficult to get things done in Berlin. However, most cafés, bars and restaurants stay open – except on the evening of 24 December, when almost everything closes.

New Year's Day 1 Jan
Good Friday Mar/Apr
Easter Monday Mar/Apr
May/Labour Day 1 May
Ascension Day May/June (ten days before Whitsun/Pentecost, the 7th Sun after Easter)
Whitsun/Pentecost Mon May/June
Day of German Unity 3 Oct
Day of Prayer and National Repentance 3rd Wed in Nov
Christmas Eve 24 Dec
Christmas Day 25 Dec
Boxing Day 26 Dec

Our listings

While every effort and care has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this guide, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain. Before you go out of your way, we strongly advise you to phone ahead and check the particulars.