02 THU
Berlin Fashion Week
FASHION Although it’s kind of true that every week is fashion week in Berlin, twice a year you can really see it. The city’s diverse subcultural scene inspires fashionistas to show off their extravagant designs. Berlin Fashion Week is the city in a nutshell – all about sustainability, inclusivity and, of course, style.
- Various locations. Through Jul 5.
03 FRI
48 Hours Neukölln
FESTIVAL Held annually since 1999, 48 Hours Neukölln serves as a free platform for artists to increase their visibility and reach a wide audience. The free festival operates on a comparatively low budget, but the spirits are always high, and there are performances and exhibitions abound.
- Various locations. Through Jul 5.
International Barrel Organ Festival
MUSIC Watching old folks grind their organs may not sound too appealing at first, but you’d be missing out if you missed this festival! Organ grinders will roll through Tegel over the course of the first weekend of the month, playing street organs at lakeside terraces, on stages and at the Alt Tegel village church. The festival is free for all, so there’s no reason not to go watch.
- Various locations in Tegel. Through Jul 5.
Lakeside Film Fest
FILM A couple of hours outside of Berlin, an open-air film festival will take place on the shores of a picturesque little lake. Open-air screening, music, yoga session – the festival really combines the best part about summer. It’s especially catered to both film buffs and nature lovers – and if you happen to be both, this is a dream event.
- Klingemühle, Friedland-Chossewitz. Through Jul 5.
04 SAT
Symphony of Colors
ART The first comprehensive Paul Signac exhibition in Germany in decades, Symphony of Colors: Paul Signac and Neo-Impressionism explores the artist’s role within the Neo-Impressionist movement and his influence on the art world of the late 19th century. The exhibition features almost 100 works, a third of them Signac’s.
- Museum Barberini, Potsdam. Through Oct 11.
Five Years of Berlin Global
ART A fifth birthday party and an art museum probably sounds like a disastrous mix in most cases, but not this time. The Berlin Global exhibition at the Humboldt Forum is turning five and it invites all to celebrate. Guided tours and discussions will be held throughout the day and a party with numerous DJ sets is scheduled for the evening.
- Humboldt Forum. Starts 11:00.
Tag der offenen (Markt)Türen
MARKET You’ve likely been to Markthalle Neun, but do you know what’s behind it all? The Markthalle is opening its doors and giving visitors a chance to look behind the scenes. Find out where the beer is brewed and why the cellar smells of cake on guided tours, talk panels and presentations at this rare opportunity to glimpse into the backrooms of this Kreuzberg institution.
- Markthalle Neun. Starts 10:00.
05 SUN
Down by the River
FESTIVAL Although it’s no longer held on the banks of the Spree and has moved to the garden of ://about blank, the 15th edition of Down by the River keeps the same energy it had before: a laid-back summer bash mixing guitars with electronic sounds, where partying becomes an act of political resistance against the grey monotony of offices and autobahns.
- ://about blank. Starts 13:00.
Boylesque Drag Festival
DRAG Described as “male strip-tease with a storyline”, this international drag show series aims to overcome any and all gender limitations and celebrate each person as they are. A surefire way to put you in the mood for Pride, Boylesque is a celebration of diversity and a lust for life.
- Wintergarten Varieté. Starts 18:00.
08 WED
SEXAUER Summer Party
PARTY SEXAUER’s summer party is basically a clever ruse to push their summer group show of works from its artists. It’s a fair exchange. Drop by for drinks, some token snobby pretentiousness and the chance to look at some excellent young artists’ work.
- SEXAUER Gallery. Starts 19:00.
09 THU
Classic Open Air
MUSIC Classical music surrounded by classical buildings may not have the stereotypical Berlin summer vibe, but it certainly is an elegant way to spend a summer evening. This annual concert series is a well-known event in the classical music community and is famous for incorporating modern elements into classic compositions.
- Gendarmenmarkt. Through Jul 14.
Heroines of Sound
MUSIC Heroines of Sound is a feminist, interdisciplinary electronic music festival whose aim is to support the presence of FLINTA* people in the music industry. Genre diversity and gender diversity are equally celebrated at this event, which has been a part of the Berlin cultural landscape since 2014.
- Radialsystem. Through Jul 11.
Durchlüften
MUSIC A meeting place for musical traditions from across the world, where fans of Mauritanian desert blues and Afro-Colombian bass cosmologies stand side-by-side, Durchlüften is an interdisciplinary celebration of multiculturalism. And best of all, it’s completely free.
- Humboldt Forum. Through Aug 1.
10 FRI
Berlin Board Game Con
CONVENTION If you’re feeling **board** on the weekend, get a hit of some analog nostalgia at this meeting place for all board and role-playing game enthusiasts. Both beginners and avid board-gamers are welcome to try out swathes of different games. Anyone who wants to expand their collection can also check out the giant board game flea market on site.
- Estrel Congress Center. Through Jul 12.
The Dark Rooms: Veins
ART Following last year’s The Dark Rooms: Hotel, which saw artists take over the darkness of an abandoned hotel, this time the setting is a former cinema. Empty theatre rooms, long corridors, hidden tunnels and projection rooms never meant for the audience to see will now appear visible, however barely, to those who don’t fear getting lost inside concrete veins.
- Secret location. Through Jul 26.
A World of Our Own Festival
MUSIC Brace yourself for a weekend of intense screaming, energy, thrash guitars and tight jeans. DIY emo festival A World of Our Own is a celebration of the city’s new cathartic, heavy music scene, where local talents share the stage next to the greats. Berlin screamo legends soastasphrenas perform alongside Portuguese hard-punk act Hetta, German post-hardcore act Jota, Vibora and Cassus, among others. For a few nights of emo-driven, head-banging, beer-swilling partying, grab yourself a festival ticket – along with some hearing protection and your favorite band T-shirt.
- Neue Zukunft. Through to Jul 11.
11 SAT
Word/Play
PERFORMANCE Word/Play is a special edition of Parallel/Play that brings together a wordsmith, an artist and a musician. They’ve met beforehand to develop something that unites the three of them. A second trio, who haven’t met and who have no plan, will listen and respond in real time. The last stage of the event invites anyone in the room to join in with a voice, an instrument or a phrase. It’s creativity at its rawest – spontaneous and playful.
- Lettrétage. Starts 19:30
12 SUN
Kiketi Fest
FESTIVAL Bringing Georgian food, wine, music and art to Berlin, Kiketi Fest returns to the city once more, inviting visitors to indulge in delicacies and experience the unique culture of the small country straddling the border of Europe and Asia. If flights to Tbilisi are too expensive, this is your second-best way to experience Georgia this summer.
- ŒL & ÆDEN Garten. Starts 15:00.
16 THU
Nation of Gondwana
FESTIVAL The party place for riotous ravers, hippy hedonists and 24-hour-plus party people, Nation of Gondwana returns to its Brandenburg enclave, complete with its gigantic techno-ready stages and speakers. With a heavy cross section of styles and talents, the Nation puts most other festival lineups to shame. During the weekend, DJs CCL, Barbara Preisinger, Avalon Emerson, Dasha Rush, Gene On Earth, Josey Rebelle, Prosumer and Robert Hood will be spinning away on the festival grounds. There will also be live acts from Octo Octo, Portable and Luigi Tozzi.
- Schönwalde-Glien. Through Jul 19.
17 FRI
Open Days at UdK
ART All four faculties of UdK – Fine Arts, Design, Music and Performing Arts – as well as the Berlin Career College open their doors to the public at the end of the summer semester, allowing everyone to get to know young Berlin artists and their works.
- Various locations. Through Jul 19.
2nd International Korean-German Dance Festival
PERFORMANCE This 3-day festival at Uferstudios brings together German and South Korean artists in a celebration of movement and artistic exchange in the form of dance battles, performances and cultural dialogue. The second edition kicks off with the finale of a nationwide K-pop dance battle before unfolding into a programme of performances and encounters that offer fresh perspectives on contemporary dance from two very different countries.
- UferStudios. Through Jul 19.
Anime Messe Babelsberg
CONVENTION Manga, anime and Japanese culture will take over Filmpark Babelsberg for the weekend, offering lectures, shows, exhibitions and concerts for all the Japan aficionados. Plenty of Japanese food will also be on offer, and there will even be a contest to determine the best noodle slurper.
- Filmpark Babelsberg. Through Jul 19.
Bjørn Melhus: LOST IN FINITY
ART The end is nigh and deep down we all know it, yet somehow we continue living our day-to-day lives as if the threats of climate crisis, nuclear apocalypse and the world descending into a dystopian nightmare were pure fantasy. Bjørn Melhus explores this paradox, juxtaposing images of war, destruction, crises and the rapture with visions of the utopia we had hoped to achieve.
- silent green. Through Aug 23.
Lesbian & Gay City Festival
LGBTQIA+ The queer communities of Berlin celebrate en masse during Europe’s largest annual LGBTQIA+ festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of participants every year. A quintessential part of Berlin Pride Month, the Lesbian & Gay City Festival sees the area around Nolli transform into a huge gay party well into the night.
- Nollendorfplatz. Through Jul 19.
Mango Festival
FOOD FESTIVAL Who doesn’t love mangoes? The sweet, juicy fruit is so delicious it now has an entire festival devoted to it. The dishes on offer will belong to cuisines ranging from Thai, to Indian and Mexican – the only thing in common being their mango-centricity. Various mango drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, will be available as well. Oh man, go!
- Jules B-Part. Through Jul 19.
36 Jahre Schokoladen Hoffest
MUSIC Celebrating 36 years of independence, punk rock, art and great music, Mitte’s best venue for underground music throws its annual backyard event once more. Located just off of Torstraße, Schokoladen plays host to two long nights of Berlin’s best bands and DJs. This year’s event features hardcore band Tremore, punk-rock band Lottalärm, electro group Menstruationsmassaker and Brazilian act Malmequer, among other acts still to be announced. The donation-based event is a showcase of all that’s good in Berlin, with great food and the cheapest beer you can find in the city centre.
- Schokoladen. Through Jul 18.
20 MON
ZigZag Jazz Festival
MUSIC Over 20 jazz artists will meet up at the Gasometer over the course of 10 days with the mission of bringing proper jazz tunes to the city. The lineup is seriously solid, featuring international stars who are well-known throughout the jazz community.
- Gasometer. Through Jul 30.
21 TUE
Reggie Watts
GIG Following gigs at Berghain, comedian, actor and all-around legend Reggie Watts is back in town, bringing his signature blend of improvised spoken word and looping performances that sit somewhere between beatboxing and soul singing.
- Lido. Starts 19:30.
24 FRI
CSD
LGBTQIA+ The main event of Berlin Pride Month, Christopher Street Day is actually two days this year! While the main parade will be held on Saturday, Friday evening will see a political rally and artistic performances at Brandenburger Tor to set the mood for next day’s big event.
- Brandenburger Tor. Starts 18:00.
Berlin lacht
STAGE The International Street Theatre Festival’s aim is simple: to bring laughter to Berlin. For a month and a half in two different locations in Berlin, artists will take to the stage in an effort to make the world a little brighter and hopefully bring at least a small smile to your face.
- Washingtonplatz through Aug 23. Potsdamer Platz Aug 26 through Sep 13.
Gaswerk Music Days
A dive into worldly experimental, noise-rock and electronic sounds takes over the Rummelsberg studios and outdoor venues for two weekends in July and early August. The festival, now focusing on giving a platform for radical live music, is a blend of hybrid modular synth concerts and Afrosonic vocal performances, thanks to their cross-cultural exchange with the ongoing Nyege Nyege team. Featured on the extensive lineup are the likes of Max Loderbauer, Rabih Beaini, Burnt Friedman, Holy Tongue, Reggie Watts, Kenneth Scott and many, many more artists.
- Gaswerksiedlung. Jul 24-26, Jul 31-Aug 2.
25 SAT
CSD Parade
LGBTQIA+ If we had to pick one event that encapsulates Berlin’s queer scene and the city’s summer energy, it would be the annual CSD Parade. We all probably know what it is. Honestly, it’s hard not to, but if you’ve never been there yourself, check it out. Seeing pics online is entirely different than feeling the energy on site.
- Leipziger Straße. Starts 12:00.
The Berliner Walking Tour
WALKING TOUR Did you know that the humble Pankstr U-Bahn hides a nuclear bunker, capable of keeping 3,339 people safe for two weeks? On the tour you’ll get access to this Cold War relic and learn more about Germany’s emergency infrastructure during this historic era.
- Badstraße 50. Starts 13:00.
31 FRI
Young Euro Classic
MUSIC Youth symphony orchestras will descend on Konzerthaus Berlin and Gendarmenmarkt to perform classical symphonies from the 19th and 20th centuries. Now in its 27th year, each visiting orchestra is required to perform music from their respective homeland. The organisers are keen to promote a diverse programme, so there promises to be a range of sounds and styles.
- Gendarmarket. Through Aug 16.
