Berlin’s events calendar is booked full for most of the year. Anytime you visit this city, you are guaranteed to find some festival or carnival celebration going on somewhere.
Berlin Film Festival
This two-week event, also known as the Berlinale, is a top headliner on Berlin’s events calendar. The Film Festival here is on par with that of Cannes or Venice with 19,000 film professionals and 4,000 journalists from 120 countries on hand. While the participants in the festival bring in quite a few guests, the spectators of this festival number over 200,000.
Unlike Cannes, most of the movie screenings here are open to the public with inexpensive prices and a choice of about 500 films. The Berlin Film Festival is the reason that Berlin could be called the German Hollywood. ;-)
Festival of Lights
Every October Berlin shines in this Festival of Lights. Come nightfall, landmark buildings like the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Cathedral are draped in flashing, multi-colored light displays that may be accompanied by fireworks. Don’t forget your camera as this Berlin event offers many great photo opportunities.
Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique is an international musical festival that is coordinated with a number of French cities. The streets of Berlin will be singing as you wander about, with many musical stages set up around the city. Many different genres are on offer at these largely free-of-charge performances.
Carnival
While not as large as Cologne‘s legendary Carnival, this Berlin event is still a popular attraction. The Carnival made its way to Berlin after many transplants from other regions of Germany were dismayed to find that their tradition was not celebrated here.
Carnival of Cultures
This Carnival is a celebration of Berlin’s multicultural society. Berlin’s ethnic population is from all corners of the globe. A special event for Berlin’s immigrant community, visitors to the city will also be drawn to the widely varying traditions of music and art.
Classic Open Air
The summer is a wonderful time for music in Berlin. And what better way to appreciate all types of music and warm weather than with outdoor concerts in two of Berlin’s most beautiful areas, the Gendarmenmarkt and Magdeburg Park.
