Festivals and Events

Berlin's calendar is loaded with annual fairs, festivals, concerts and parties; the following are some of them:

Berlin Festival Weeks

This is a month long celebration featuring concerts, exhibits, plays and other cultural events related to a particular subject. The festival is usually conducted in September and focusses on jazz, film, theatre, or dance.

Christmas Markets

Christmas markets are held from late November to 21 December at several locations around Berlin, including Breitscheidplatz.

Christopher Street Day

The biggest annual gay event in the city takes place in late June with a parade from Savignyplatz in Charlottenburg to the eastern end of Unter den Linden.
Link: Christopher Street Day

Maerzmusik

Is a festival of contemporary music. The whole spectrum of contemporary music presented in a program rich in contrast; includes performances of new works for orchestra and chamber music as well as interdisciplinary, experimental and multi-media orientated works. MaerzMusik spotlights a region outside central europe for a relationship between the modern and the traditional in music.

Long Museums Night

Twice a year museums open until late at night . For this event one can buy a ticket that is valid for all museums and it also includes free bus transportation to the museums. There is a lot of special entertainment events like music, buffet, lectures etc

International Film Festival

The Internationale Filmfestspiele, is the world's second-largest film festival is held over 12 days in February.
Link: Film Festival

JazzFest Berlin

This four-day jazz festival at various venues around the city takes place in early November.

Karnival der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures)

Berlins international summer carnival, the Carnival of Cultures is a top event on Berlins cultural agenda. I involves a parade and festival of ethnities on the street, showing their traditional clothes, dances, music, etc. There are parties and concerts as well as a market place where you find everything from persian food to african accessoires to turkish music releases. In 2001, 1.2 million visitors came to see the Carnival Parade and the four-day Street Festival.
Link: Karnival der Kulturen

Love Parade

Berlin's top annual techno event held in mid July attracts 1.5 million people. The parade is followed by nonstop partying in clubs and the streets.
Link: Love Parade

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