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... Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Düsseldorf.
Whether you're in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg or Frankfurt am Main – at www.newinthecity.de you'll find interesting news, a complete list of current events including exhibitions, theater, live music and parties, plus sporting events and leisure activities and the cinema program for your city – all free of charge!
Germany's top events
We have listed some top events in each of the NEW IN THE CITY metropolises which are not to be missed, and are well worth a weekend trip to that particular city:
Berlinale, Berlin
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Karneval der Kulturen, Berlin
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Rhein im Feuerzauber, Frankfurt
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Top events Berlin
Berlinale
Annually in February, 2 weeks
With more than 430,000 visitors annually, the world-famous international film festival in Berlin is one of the most important events in the movie industry. Since 2000, the center of activity of this event, which has been taking place since 1951, is the musical theater “Berlinale Palast” on Potsdamer Platz. Here, as well as in eleven other Berlinale film theaters, a total of about 400 movies are shown over two weeks, most of them are world or European premieres. At the end, an international jury awards the Gold and Silver Bears to the winners. All this naturally occurs in the presence of numerous stars and starlets.
›› Contact: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin, Potsdamer Str. 5, Tel. 25 92 00, www.berlinale.de
Karneval der Kulturen/Carneval of Cultures
4 days in May
Four-day major event held over Pentecost weekend, with a street party plus four stages, large procession with decorated floats and kids’ carnival party.
›› Blücherplatz, www.karneval-berlin.de
Museumsinselfestival
5 months (May-September)
Various venues: e.g. in front of the Bode Museum.
›› www.museumsinselfestival.info
Potsdamer Schlössernacht
1 evening in August
Boisterous festival with music, theater and fireworks in splendidly illuminated surroundings.
›› Park Sanssouci, Potsdam, www.schloessernacht-2009.de
Pyronale
2 evenings in September
Bombastic! International meeting of the best fireworks artists, with mandatory and free programs, followed by an awards ceremony. 60,000 spectators.
›› Maifeld at the Olympic stadium, www.pyronale.biz
Festival of Lights
2 weeks in October
Illuminations of and artistic projections on more than 40 buildings allows the city center to glow in a very special light.
›› Throughout the city
Feier zum Tag der Deutschen Einheit
3. October
Celebration of German Unity at the Brandenburger Tor.
›› Tiergarten, Festmeile at the Brandenburger Tor & on the Straße des 17. Juni until the victory column.
Top events Frankfurt
Luminale
6 days, every second year in April
Every 2 years in April, Frankfurt basks in the glow of light, a spectacle that holds more than 100,000 people under its spell.
›› www.luminale.de
Erdbeerfest
4 days in June
Largest festival in the Rheingau region, with strawberry drinks as well as dancing and music until dawn.
›› Erbach, www.rheingau.de
Rhein im Feuerzauber
1 day in July
Fireworks displays, lit-up castles, lit-up ships as well as a large complimentary program all enchant the middle Rhein Valley.
›› Rüdesheim am Rhein, www.rhein-im-feuerzauber.de
Mainfest
4 days in August
About 120 summer gardens, a fair and lots of live music on the shores of the Main and in the inner city. Large fireworks display to finish.
›› Frankfurt, Altstadt, Römerberg und Mainkai, www.frankfurt-tourismus.de
Museumsuferfest
3 days in August
Large multicultural culture festival with theater, exhibits, concerts, workshops and museum tours in various languages, approx. 3 million visitors.
›› Frankfurt, Sachsenhausen, www.museumsuferfest-frankfurt.de
Mainfest, Frankfurt
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Hafengeburtstag, Hamburg
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Oktoberfest, Munich
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Top events Hamburg
Hamburger Frühlings-Dom & Winter-Dom
4 weeks in March & November
Northern Germany’s biggest carnival, three times a year, 160,000-square meter festival ground, three kilometers of stalls and rides, more than 260 showpeople and some nine million visitors annually.
›› Heiligengeistfeld, www.hamburger-dom.de
Hafengeburtstag
3 days in May
The world’s largest harbor festival, more than 1.5 million visitors, highlights are arrival and departure processions of the large sailing ships and traditional ships, 2010 the harbor celebrates its 821th birthday.
›› Speicherstadt/HafenCity, www.hafengeburtstag.de
Japanisches Kirschblütenfest
Around May 19
Traditional festival organized by Japanese citizens who live in Hamburg, fireworks and colorful cultural program plus a cherry blosson princess pageant.
›› Außenalster, www.hamburg-tourism.de
Dschungel-Nächte
3 evenings between May and June
For more than 20 years Hagenbeck’s jungle nights have become famous way beyond the city limits; colorful program featuring animals and people, music and show acts throughout the park.
›› 18.00-24.00, Stellingen, U-Bahn U2 oder Busse 22, 39, 181, 281 to bus station „Hagenbecks Tierpark“, Tel. 5 30 03 30, www.hagenbeck.de
Reeperbahn-Festival
3 days in September
3-day music festival on the Reeperbahn.
›› Spielbudenplatz, www.reeperbahnfestival.com
Top events Munich
Starkbierzeit
Every March
Celebrated after Fasching. The Starkbier (strong beer) festival is similar to the Oktoberfest.
›› Paulanerkeller (Salvator): Au, Hochstr. 77, Tel. 4 59 91 30, www.nockherberg.com
›› Löwenbräukeller: Maxvorstadt, Nymphenburger Str. 2, Tel. 52 60 21, www.loewenbraeu.com
Tollwood Festivals
Art, theatre, rock and jazz all feature on Tollwood’s entertainment program. This big cultural extravanganza takes place twice a year in seven tents; it celebrated its 20th anniversary in summer 2008. Up to 900,000 people throng to Olympia Park South for the Tollwood Summer Festival and around 500,000 guests enjoy the colder but equally spectacular Tollwood Winter Festival at the Theresienwiese with “Munich’s most beautiful Christmas Market”. Note: There’s no combined Tollwood festival ticket. You have to buy separate tickets for concerts in the two big entertainment tents.
›› Sommer Tollwood: 3 weeks in June-July, Olympiapark south
›› Winter Tollwood: 4 weeks in Dezember, Theresienwiese
›› Contact: Tollwood GmbH, Waisenhausstr. 20, Tel. 383 85 00, Tickets: 0700/38 38 50 24, www.tollwood.de
Oktoberfest
2 weeks in September
Six million liters of beer, 600,000 chickens and 95 oxen are eaten, there are 2,500 medical emergencies and six million visitors. These staggering statistics best describe the world-famous Oktoberfest, the biggest public festival in the world. The Oktoberfest started off as a horse race to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and his bride Therese Charlotte Luise in 1810. Revellers drink and dance themselves sick in 14 beer tents. The Schottenhamel tent is particularly popular among young people eager to flirt. The atmosphere is just as hot in the biggest tent, the 9,800-seat Hofbräu. This tent mainly caters to an international crowd. The young and the famous alike like the Hippodrom. The Käfer tent is where the stars and celebrities party among their own kind. If you want a seat in one of the beer tents, especially at weekends, get there at midday because a lot of tents close their doors as early as 2 pm due to overcrowding. The huge fun-fair is another highlight of this mega party. And anyone who dares to ride the rollercoaster after four liters of beer shows true greatness!
›› 18. September 2010 – 03. Oktober 2010
U4/5-Theresienwiese, daily: 10.00-23.30
www.oktoberfest.de
Jousting tournaments
Every year in July you can travel back in time to the Middle Ages in Kaltenberg, west of Munich. For 28 years Prince Luitpold of Bavaria, great grandson of the last Bavarian king, has been welcoming you to the world’s biggest jousting tournament. During ten days of events, acrobats, itinerant entertainers, craftsmen, actors, quack doctors and village idiots inhabit Kaltenberg Castle. There is a huge medieval market with many attractions, live music and performances to entertain the average 12,000 visitors per day, in a magical atmosphere. A highlight of the festival is the great procession of the 800 performers across the grounds, including flag-wielding, marching bands and musicians. The absolute highlight of the day is, of course, the spectacular jousting contest for which a 10,000 seat, sand-filled arena with royal box was built in 1985. With lances and swords, on horseback or on all fours, ten knights in shining armour battle it out in different jousting disciplines. In addition, the Kaltenberger Gauklernacht (Night of the Street Artists) has been luring large numbers of people for the past four years.
›› Kaltenberger Ritterfestspiele: Schloss Kaltenberg, 82269 Kaltenberg, Schlossstr. 8, Ticket-Hotline: 0 18 05/11 33 13, www.ritterturnier.de
Top events Stuttgart
Lichterfest
1 day in July
Don’t miss the festival of lights on the Killesberg hill, with its illuminations, live bands, an enchanted forest and of course the grandiose closing fireworks.
›› Höhenpark Killesberg, www.lichterfest-stuttgart.de
Esslinger Zwiebelfest
11 days in August
During the traditional Esslinger Zwiebelfest (onion festival), a varied program with shows and Swabian specialties is staged in the Old City.
›› Altstadt Esslingen, www.esslinger-zwiebelfest.de
Stuttgarter Weindorf
12 days in August
More than 250 delicious wines and Swabian tidbits await epicures from throughout Germany.
›› Mitte, Markt- und Schillerplatz, www.stuttgarter-weindorf.de
Cannstatter Wasen
17 days September
Europe’s largest festival for showmen and -women has not only rides such as the Ferris wheel and the chairoplane, but also a colorful merchants’ market and magnificent musical fireworks.
›› Bad Cannstatt, Auf den Wasen, www.cannstatter-volksfest.de |
