Looking to make the most of your December in Berlin? From festive markets and quirky concerts to thought-provoking exhibitions and wild parties, this city has something for everyone. Don’t miss out – dive into our jam-packed guide and start planning your unforgettable December adventure.
Sunday 1
Christmas Train
Choo-choo, motherf*cker! Kicking off this year’s holiday season, S-Bahn Berlin is bringing back its iconic Christmas rides. Hop onto the 100-year-old train for some Glühwein, gingerbread and a chat with Santa.
- Potsdamer Platz or Ostbahnhof. Also on Dec 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22, details.
Christmas Film Festival – Queer Advent Special
Catch this special Advent screening of Tangerine by writer-director Sean Baker, a different kind of Christmas flick about a transgender sex worker roaming the streets of LA.
- Kino Moviemento, Kottbusser Damm 22, Kreuzberg. Starts 19:00, details.
Kinky Christmas Market
Berlin wouldn’t be Berlin if we didn’t manage to squeeze a little debauchery into literally everything – even Christmas. With over 30 local vendors offering kinky fashion, accessories, jewellery and toys, this sex-positive holiday fair is the perfect opportunity for some risqué gift shopping.
- SAGE Berlin, Köpenicker Str. 20, Kreuzberg. Starts 14:00, details.
Nowkoelln Xmas Flowmarket
One of the city’s best and most popular fleas, Neukölln’s Flowmarket, returns for its last edition before the winter break. Pro tip: Pack a thermos of hot chocolate for a leisurely stroll along the Landwehrkanal afterwards.
- Maybachufer 31, Neukölln. Starts 10:00, details.
Raw Wine Berlin
This is your sign to switch things up this weekend and invite the friend group out for a swanky day drinking sesh at Markthalle Neun instead of hitting the Kneipe for the 100th time. Showcasing the art of making (and tasting) natural wine, the one-day fair is open to both experts and curious newbies. Prost!
- Markthalle Neun, Pücklerstr. 34, Kreuzberg. Starts 12:00, details.
Museum Sunday
This Sunday marks the end of an era. Don’t miss your last chance to enjoy free admission to Berlin’s museums on the first Sunday of the month.
- Museums and galleries across Berlin, details.
Tuesday 3
The Berliner Presents: Mark Reeder’s Mystery Movie Night
Our last edition of Mark Reeder’s Mystery Movie Night sold out in no time, so if you want to find out what film Reeder will pick next, don’t hang around. The drill is the same – counterculture icon Reeder chooses a movie to screen to an intimate audience. The selection is a closely guarded secret that is only revealed as soon as the film starts. Reeder even kept it hidden from his wife, so there’s no chance of a leak here.
- Backhaus Projects, Weserstr. 168, Neukölln. Starts 19:30, details.
Thursday 5
Togetherness Fest: 10 Years of Poetry Meets
For a whole decade now, Berlin-based curator Jumoke Adeyanju has held her multilingual Poetry Meets series, giving international poets, musicians, artists and filmmakers a platform to showcase their diverse talents. Here’s to many more!
- Heimathafen Neukölln, Karl-Marx-Str. 141, Neukölln. Starts 18:30, details.
Lilion
Perhaps even more relevant today than when it first premiered over 100 years ago, Ferenc Molnár’s bittersweet exploration of social injustice and human nature returns to Berlin with a new stage adaptation by Austrian-Bulgarian director Christina Tscharyski.
- Berliner Ensemble, Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, Mitte. Starts 20:00. Also on Dec 6, 20 and 21, details.
A Techno Ballet Odyssey
If you’ve been craving some high culture lately but don’t want to miss your weekly dose of eardrum-shattering techno either, we have just the thing for you. For this unique crossover event, renowned international techno DJs join forces with Berlin Ballet Company to prove that electronic music and classical dance are a match made in heaven.
- Kraftwerk Berlin, Köpenicker Str. 70, Kreuzerg. Starts 18:30. Also on Dec 6, 7 and 8, details.
Friday 6
Christmas Market Alt-Rixdorf
Located in the picturesque heart of historic Alt-Rixdorf, this charity market is open for just one weekend, hosting over 200 vendors selling handmade Christmas decorations, toys, dipped candles and plenty of scrumptious German delights.
- Richardplatz 28, Neukölln. Through Dec 8, details.
Kunst im Karton
At this intimate two-day art fair, professional Berlin painters and sculptors showcase their favourite pieces literally im Karton, or in a shoebox. The miniature artworks, ranging from classic paintings to sculptures and jewellery, are priced up to €250.
- Gerichtshöfe Wedding, Gerichtstr. 12, Wedding. Through Dec 7, details.
Gloriette
The directorial debut by Berlin-based visual artist Leila Hekmat pokes fun at the blissful ignorance many of us exhibit in the face of climate change and impending ecological mayhem. The world may be going to shit, but at least we didn’t let down the shareholders!
- Hebbel am Ufer, Stresemannstr. 29, Kreuzberg. Starts 19:00. Also on Dec 7, 8, 9 and 10, details.
Saturday 7
British Christmas Market
Roughly 15,600 Brits live in Berlin, and despite the sorry state of their home country, we wouldn’t blame them for getting at least a little homesick this time of year. Thank god for the very British Christmas market at Charlottenburg’s St. George’s Church, complete with mince pies, Christmas carols and bagpipers.
- Preußenallee 17, Charlottenburg. Starts 14:00, details.
Christmas Market at Jagdschloss Grunewald
Undoubtedly Berlin’s bougiest Christmas market, this festive arts and crafts fair in the courtyard of the Prussian emperor’s former hunting lodge is the perfect place for a romantic day trip away from the city.
- Jagdschloss Grunewald, Hüttenweg 100, Grunewald. Through Dec 8, details.
Klub Verboten x Berlin
Known for throwing some of the best sex-positive parties in town, the sophisticated, self-described perverts of Klub Verboten are eager to turn Kreuzwerk into a kinky wonderland this weekend. Tighten that ball-gag and prepare to get flogged into oblivion! PSA: Basic kink etiquette and a fetish outfit are non-negotiable.
- Kreuzwerk, Lobeckstr. 30-35, Kreuzberg. Starts 23:00, details.
Sunday 8
Merry Markthalle
Huddle up in Kreuzberg’s most iconic Markthalle for the only holiday market in town that doesn’t come at the price of freezing your butt off. From little gifts and trinkets to Christmassy snacks and Mariah Carey on aux, this market has it all.
- Markthalle Neun, Pücklerstr. 34, Kreuzberg. Starts 11:00. Also on Dec 15 and 22, details.
Monday 9
Doc.Berlin Festival
Going into its sixth edition this year, Doc.Berlin returns under the motto “Truth: Stranger than Fiction”. The programme features 30 international documentary films, shedding light on a variety of social issues through innovative storytelling.
- Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte. Through Dec 12, details.
Tuesday 10
tipBerlin Backstage: Deutsches Theater
Join our colleagues at tipBerlin for an exclusive welcome dinner and introduction to Herrman Koch’s gripping thriller Das Dinner at Deutsches Theater. The play centres around two couples whose children have committed a serious crime, forcing the families to decide whether to bring their offspring to justice or cover it up.
- Deutsches Theater, Schumannstr. 13A, Mitte. Starts 18:00, details.
Wednesday 11
Winter Choir Triple
The lovely members of ok!choir, Dienstag Choir and BVG Choir (not affiliated with a certain yellow transport company) invite you to a unique musical ménage-à-trois.
- SO36, Oranienstr. 190, Kreuzberg. Doors at 19:00, details.
tipBerlin Backstage: Christmas Garden at the Botanical Garden
Berlin’s Botanical Garden is a beautiful place year round, but during the holiday season, it transforms into something truly magical. tipBerlin invites you on a tour through the enchanted winter wonderland, with a guide sharing insights and stories about the garden’s festive light installations.
- Botanical Garden, Königin-Luise-Str. 6-8, Charlottenburg. Starts 18:00, details.
Thursday 12
Lana Del Rave: A Christmas Special
Any good Lana-pilled Lanatic who takes themselves seriously definitely doesn’t want to miss this massive Lana-themed blowout at club SchwuZ, featuring all of your favourite Lana songs, burlesque performances and a dedicated Lana shrine. No remixes, no covers – just pure Lana galore.
- SchwuZ, Rollbergstr. 26, Neukölln. Starts 20:00, details.
Der Schnittchenkauf
Following the tragic passing of director René Pollesch earlier this year, Volksbühne is premiering the legendary director and playwright’s 2012 essay Der Schnittchenkauf, a collection of reflections on life, love and theatre.
- Volksbühne, Linienstr. 227, Mitte. Starts 19:30. Also on Dec 14 and 22, details.
FLÓBÉR
This interdisciplinary performance by artists Telmo Branco and Ren Mauney combines theatre, dance, sound design and documentary film to explore the concepts of colonial love and internalised oppression.
- Berliner Ringtheater, Alt-Stralau 68, Friedrichshain. Starts 19:30. Also on Dec 13, 14 and 15, details.
SloVision – Slovenian Film Days
Organised by Berlin’s Slovenian culture centre, this three-day festival showcases six handpicked movies from the Alpine region, dealing with issues such as right-wing extremism and the complicated Germany-Slovenia relationship.
- Sputnik Südstern, Hasenheide 54/5th, Kreuzberg. Through Dec 15, details.
The Flowers of Evil
While the act of giving flowers might not be quite as conscience-free anymore (think of the environment, silly), simply looking at them can still make for a romantic experience. This unusual exhibition is centred around paintings of, well, really pretty flowers, inspired by Baudelaire’s famous poetry book Les Fleurs du Mal.
- Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, Schloßstr. 70, Charlottenburg. Through May 4, 2025, details.
Friday 13
Mano Le Tough / Robag Wruhme at WINTERLIGHTS
If you haven’t been to this year’s Winterlights installation yet, now is the perfect time. Irish star DJ Mano Le Tough will be joined by German house icon Robag Wruhme for an unforgettable audio-visual experience at Berlin’s edgiest Christmas light show.
- Dark Matter Berlin, Rummelsberg. Starts 19:00, details.
Rent
A group of struggling queer artists navigate life in the big city amidst a raging housing crisis and complicated personal relationships. What sounds like half your friends’ latest diary entry is actually the plot of Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer-winning musical Rent.
- Theater im Delphi, Gustav-Adolf-Str. 2, Weissensee. Starts 19:30. Also on Dec 14, details.
Saturday 14
OPIA
After last year’s enormous success, Icelandic neoclassical genius Ólafur Arnalds has once again curated a top-notch lineup of international experimental artists, masterfully blurring the lines between electronic and classical music.
- silent green, Gerichtstr. 35, Wedding. Doors at 16:30, details.
Holy Glory
Hoe, hoe, hoe, sister! Berlin drag collective Duct Tape stage their festive drag musical, a raunchy take on the classic (heteronormative) Christmas story. Expect these queens to slay their absolute heels off.
- Säälchen, Holzmarktstr. 25, Friedrichshain. Doors at 19:00. Also on Dec 15, details.
Replay
As the great Iyaz once sang: “Shawty’s like a melody, in my head, that I can’t keep out.” But what if human civilisation, too, is ultimately “stuck on replay”? That’s the question acclaimed theatremaker Yael Ronen asks in her new play.
- Schaubühne, Kurfürstendamm 153, Charlottenburg. Starts 20:00. Also on Dec 16, 17 and 18, details.
Everybody Can Be Everybody Can Not Be
This dance performance by Colombian choreographer Jao Moon explores queer bodies as inherently political objects – constantly perceived and judged, yearning for liberation.
- Ballhaus Naunynstraße, Naunynstr. 27, Kreuzberg. Also on Dec 15, 16 and 17, details.
Sunday 15
Tipsy Bear meets Baroque Prince
When our favourite queer bar Tipsy Bear invites an exciting music collective like Baroque Prince, you know the result is going to be wicked. The classically trained musicians are known for their unique mix of modern rock tunes and drag.
- Tipsy Bear, Eberswalder Str. 21, Prenzlauer Berg. Doors at 19:00, details.
Berlin by Foot: Karl Marx
In 1836, a very young Karl Marx moved to Berlin to study philosophy. He lived here for four years – and never stopped hating the city after he left. This walking tour, led by The Berliner’s history writer Nathaniel Flakin, features the places where Marx lived, studied and recreated, examining the revolutionary’s complex legacy.
- Luisenstr. 60, next to the Charité tower. Starts 13:00, details.
Monday 16
The Berliner x Mastercard: Fotografiska Guided Tour
Fotografiska’s current exhibition Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious is a wild ride through five decades of hip hop history – from its creation by marginalised communities in the Bronx to its commercialisation and rise as a global movement, shaping music, art and fashion. Feel free to hang out after the tour and pick your guide’s brain over a cocktail at Bar Verōnika.
- Fotografiska, Oranienburger Str. 54, Mitte. Starts 18:00, details TBA.
Wednesday 18
Premiere: Der Lügenprinz
Up-and-coming director Lucia Wunsch turns Henrik Ibsen’s lyrical masterpiece Peer Gynt into a fast-paced satirical play about lies and excess in the era of fake news.
- Berliner Ensemble, Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, Mitte. Starts 20:15. Also on Dec 19, 22 and 27, details.
Songslam Neukölln
This battle of the bands, hosted by Berlin-based writers Tilman Birr and Piet Weber, is exactly what it sounds like – a musical poetry slam for songwriters. For this special edition, the winners from all previous songslams of the year will go head-to-head in one final jam of the year.
- Heimathafen Neukölln, Karl-Marx-Str. 141, Neukölln. Starts 19:15, details.
Thursday 19
Louis Lewandowski Festival
Going into its 14th edition, this annual celebration of Jewish synagogue music will focus exclusively on artists from across the Middle East this time. Highlights include the all-female Yamma Teiman ensemble and Persian vocalist Jeanette Rotstein Yehudaiyan.
- Various Locations. Through Dec 22, details.
Katie Baird: Get Off
Even for a city where sharing in minute detail your latest watersports experience is considered a normal conversation starter at the Lab, this one-woman-play by Scottish performer Katie Bird is amazingly off the rails. Join the hedonist theatremaker on an unhinged thrill ride through the depths of human desire.
- Sophiensæle, Sophienstr. 18, Mitte. Starts 21:00. Also on Dec 20, details.
Harping On: Irish Culture Festival
This one-day mini festival – one of the final events of this year’s Zeitgeist Irland initiative – explores contemporary Irish artistry at the intersection of literature and techno music. It’s literally the best of both worlds!
- Lettrétage, Veteranenstr. 21, Mitte. Starts 18:30, details.
Saturday 21
Kurzfilmtag
A short film festival on the shortest day of the year? Say no more. For this unique community event, Berlin’s short film day initiative has called on local cinephiles to organise their own screenings for this day.
- Visit Kurzfilmtag’s website for locations and start times, details.
Shrek Rave
Sure, you could spend your Saturday night like a normal adult, going out for dinner or cosying up at home – or you could paint your face green, dress up as the eponymous ogre from the 2001 movie Shrek and throw it back like your swamp depends on it. The choice is yours, but remember: Shrek is love, Shrek is life.
- Columbia Theater, Columbiadamm 9-11, Kreuzberg. Doors at 17:00, details.
Gazino Night
Berlin-based artists Aziza A. and Turgay Ayaydınlı bring back the Gazino – an important staple of queer Turkish nightlife in the 80s and 90s. Get out your finest ballroom dress for a night of Turkish-German music, delicious food and free-flowing Rakı.
- Heimathafen Neukölln, Karl-Marx-Str. 141, Neukölln. Doors at 18:45, details.
Monday 23
Christmas Singing at 1. FC Union Berlin
Among this city’s many charming holiday traditions, the annual community singing at Union Berlin’s Köpenick stadium might just be our favourite. Due to popular demand, tickets are sold through a lottery system.
- Stadion an der Alten Försterei, An d. Wuhlheide 263, Köpenick. Starts 19:00, details.
KnusperHouse
If you’re among the few souls (or true locals) staying in Berlin over the holidays, you know there’s only one way to end this allegedly holy night with a smile – by going absolutely and unapologetically berzerk on the dancefloor.
- Renate, Alt-Stralau 70, Friedrichshain. Starts 23:00, details.
Friday 27
Critical Mass Bike Protest
We get it: it’s cold, it’s dark and the last place you want to be right now is an outdoor protest for some hippie political cause. Think of it as an opportunity to get out of that belated Christmas dinner with the in-laws, though! Berlin’s cyclists will thank you.
- Mariannenplatz, Kreuzberg. Starts: 20:00, details.
Saturday 28
Kinktastisch
If you’re curious about exploring your sluttier side, this sex-positive bash at renowned Berlin institution Insomnia is your last chance to unleash your inner kinkster before the new year. From ropes to dungeons to a sex toy test corner, the steamy shindig offers all you need for some blissful adult play.
- Insomnia, Alt-Tempelhof 17-19, Tempelhof. Starts 22:00, details.
Sunday 29
Donna Brown & the Golden Gospel Pearls
For three decades now, gospel singer Donna Brown has taken it upon herself to represent African-American culture in the Hauptstadt. Especially during the holiday season, Brown’s joyful, spiritual concerts are an absolute delight.
- Apostel-Paulus-Kirche, Grunewaldstr. 77A, Schöneberg. Starts 20:00. Also on Dec 30, details.
Monday 30
SPÄTIRAVE 030 – Teenage Mutants
Combining two of the city’s most iconic staples – raves and Spätis – Berlin-based DJ collective Teenage Mutants are treating you to an additional (free) rave before New Year’s Eve. Grab a Sterni and join the party!
- Späti030, Schlesische Str. 1, Kreuzberg. Starts 17:00, details.
Tuesday 31
Berlin New Year’s Eve Run
Before you go out tonight to kiss this fever-dream of a year goodbye, let this wholesome community run give you the chance to get a head start on your resolutions. Offering races between 10K and 2K, the event is perfect for runners of all ages and skill levels.
- Parking Lot Harbigstr./Waldschulallee, Charlottenburg. Starts 12:00, details.
Berliner Philharmoniker: New Year’s Eve Concert
Rounding out this year of classical music in Berlin, Russian star pianist Daniil Trifonov performs Brahms’ iconic Piano Concerto No. 2, accompanied by the Berliner Philharmoniker and conductor Kirill Petrenko.
- Berliner Philharmonie, Herbert-von-Karajan-Str. 1, Tiergarten. Starts 17:30, details.
Farewell Watergate
This is it, seriously – one last hurrah before the beloved Kreuzberg club on the Spree will forever close its doors. After 22 years and countless parties, all that’s left to say is: goodbye Watergate, you will be sorely missed.
- Watergate, Falckensteinstr. 49, Friedrichshain. Starts 23:00, details.
