01 FRI
May Day
PUBLIC HOLIDAY May Day has so much going on, from protest parties to kid-friendly fun fairs, that it’s impossible to write a comprehensive overview in this limited space. Click here for our detailed guide on how to spend International Workers’ Day in Berlin!
02 SAT
Berlin E-Prix
RACING Formula 1, but make it sustainable. The Formula E World Championship promises a truly electrifying experience for all motorsport enthusiasts. The old airport apron at Tempelhofer Feld will see two action-packed days at the Grand Prix of electric vehicles.
- Tempelhofer Feld. Tempelhofer Damm 59, 12101 Berlin. Through May 3
Oldtimer Open Air
EXHIBITION Over 500 classic cars will take over the inner courtyard of the Spandau citadel for an open-air exhibit of old-time splendour. A supporting programme including live music and stories about the cars and motorcycles on display will complement Berlin’s most exclusive vintage vehicle event.
- Zitadelle Spandau. Am Juliusturm 64, 13599 Berlin. Through May 3
Gentrif*ckdich Vol.3
CLUB Punk goes techno at://about.blank for the third instalment of the solidarity-driven anti-gentrification party. Those still alive after May 1 are encouraged to show their discontent with the erasure of alternative culture in Berlin as the event starts off with a punk concert and morphs into a techno club night as the evening progresses.
- ://about.blank. Markgrafendamm 24c, 10245 Berlin. Starts 17:00
05 TUE
Jewish Film Festival Berlin Brandenburg
FILM The 32nd edition of this event aims to showcase and celebrate Jewish cinema from around the world, with dozens of films spanning multiple genres and screening across six days in Berlin and Potsdam.
- Various locations. Through May 10
07 THU
Pictoplasma
ART FESTIVAL Picto is a world-renowned creative conference bringing together artists, illustrators, animators, storytellers and the like. This year’s focus is on characters as devices of narration and drivers of creativity. The theme will be explored in a series of lectures, workshops, discussions and animation screenings with a plethora of international guests.
- silent green. Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin. Through May 10
Out Of Line Weekender
FESTIVAL The annual alternative music festival is a meeting place for fans of genres such as dark electronic, post-punk, synth-pop, industrial and EBM. Twenty acts spread across three days will include pioneers of the scene and up-and-coming artists.
- Astra Kulturhaus. Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin.Through May 9
08 FRI
African Food Festival
FOOD FESTIVAL If the first thing ‘African food’ makes you think of is that falafel sandwich with peanut sauce, you might be unaware of just how diverse African cuisine really is. And there’s no better place to try out all it has to offer than at the African Food Festival, surrounded by African beats while lounging in the sun (we hope there will be sun).
- Jules B-Part. Luckenwalder Str. 6b, 10963 Berlin. Through May 10
Any Colour You Like
COMEDY Karan Karthik is an Indian-born Dutch comedian who takes all the difficult things that come with living in a globalised world – like cultural identity, racism and mental health – and turns them into something funny and absurd, simultaneously confronting us with our internal prejudices. Expect it to be honest, relatable and most importantly, hilarious.
- Das Gift. Donaustraße 119, 12043 Berlin. Doors at 19:30
09 SAT
Comic Invasion
CONVENTION Diehard comic book fans and those just looking for a little bit of nostalgia will all find their place at Berlin’s largest comic festival, offering dozens of exhibitions, workshops and concerts – all for absolutely free! Now that’s what we call accessible culture.
- Museum für Kommunikation. Leipziger Str. 16, 10117 Berlin. Through May 10
Primavera Asparagus Festival
FOOD FESTIVAL Honestly, having an entire festival devoted to asparagus and asparagus products is quite iconic of Schöneberg, and we’re absolutely down for it. Live music and locally produced arts and crafts will also be on offer for all the Spargel lovers out there.
- Akazienstraße, 10823 Berlin. Through May 10
Urban Development Day
FREE STUFF Visit construction sites on guided tours or join a group walk around your neighbourhood, during which you’ll see how Berlin is continuously being built and redeveloped. All the events are free of charge and many are child-friendly, so if your kids like Bob the Builder, this one’s for them.
- Various locations. Starts 10:00
10 SUN
Duct Tape Mother’s Day Show
DRAG Nothing says MOTHER like the glamourous drag queens of DUCT TAPE, whose spectacular performances include lip sync, live singing, burlesque, dance and comedy. The event is an annual tradition for DUCT TAPE and one of their most popular shows, so don’t miss it! Absolute cuntiness guaranteed.
- Theater im Delphi. Gustav-Adolf-Straße 2, 13086 Berlin. Doors at 18:00
13 WED
A MAZE./
ART FESTIVAL The international ‘Games and Playful Media Festival’, as A MAZE./ Berlin describes itself, brings together developers of independent and arthouse digital games to share their projects, exchange ideas and connect over the course of four days filled with workshops, talks, exhibitions and performances.
- silent green & Panke Culture. Gerichtstraße 23 & 35, 13347 Berlin. Through May 16
14 THU
Bölschefest
FREE STUFF The 1.2km-long Bölschestraße in Friedrichshagen goes festive for a few days, offering a flea market with antiques, street food and carousels for kids, showing what a traditional Straßenfest outside the city centre can look like when done right. And if you get tired of the crowds and just want to go chill by a lake, Müggelsee is right around the corner!
- Bölschestraße, 12587 Berlin. Through May 17
Desertfest
FESTIVAL Fans of stoner rock, doom and heavy rock flock to two neighbouring venues on Columbiadamm to bang their heads for three days to the sound of heavy riffs from dozens of bands from around the world.
- Columbiahalle & Columbia Theater. Columbiadamm 9-11 & 13-21, 10965 Berlin. Through May 16
Gods and Dogs: Angels’ Atlas
DANCE How do we dress and why do we dress the way we do? Confrontation with reality and its effects are one of the main underlying themes of the dance performance staged by Jiří Kylián, where the interplay of light and matter is as crucial as the dancing bodies themselves.
- Staatsoper. Unter den Linden 7, 10117 Berlin.Also on May 16
16 SAT
Berlin Women’s Run
RUNNING This FLINTA-focused running event lets participants choose between walking and running races of either 10km or 5km, and there’s also an 800m Bambini Run on offer for kids. No matter if you do it competitively or just for fun, the route will take you through Tiergarten and past such landmarks as Brandenburger Tor and the Siegessäule.
- Straße des 17. Juni, 10557 Berlin. Start times between 13:30 and 17:10
Bites & Bikes Street Food Festival
FOOD FESTIVAL If you love the idea of food trucks but also prefer bikes to motorised vehicles, have we got the event for you! A whole bunch of cargo bikes and tons of street food: what’s not to love? Add live music, DJs and the option of a ‘six-ride pass’ that lets you try six half-portions of different street food (and a wheel of fortune where you have the chance to double that!) to make the deal extra sweet.
- Jules B-Part. Luckenwalder Str. 6b, 10963 Berlin. Through May 17
SchwuZ Comeback Party
CLUB In case you haven’t heard the good news, SchwuZ is back! Although they’re still looking for a new permanent location, Germany’s oldest and largest queer club is already organising their comeback party at Schöneberg’s legendary queer venue, Metropol.
- Metropol. Nollendorfplatz 5, 10777 Berlin. Starts 23:00
17 SUN
International Museum Day
EXHIBITION Fun fact: there are roughly 7,100 museums in Germany, and Berlin hosts one of the highest densities in Europe. Established in 1977, International Museum Day was created to provide global insight into the cultural and societal importance that museums offer. That being said, not every museum has free entry on this day, so check which ones are participating in advance.
- Various locations
21 THU
Sasha Velour: Travesty
THEATRE Best known as the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9, Sasha Velour rocks up to Admiralspalast as part of her world tour with the new show Travesty: part performance, part queer history lesson and part call to action. Velour is the mistress of transgressing boundaries, and her new theatre show will bring her trademark mix of glamour and spectacle to the forefront.
- Admiralspalast. Friedrichstraße 101, 10117 Berlin. Starts 20:00
22 FRI
Ocean Eyes Drag Competition – The Finale
DRAG Ocean Eyes has been hosting a drag competition in Berlin, and after completing four semi-finals this season, it’s time to crown a winner. All four semi-final winners, plus one wildcard entry will bring the energy and the heat, trying to win the votes of three judges. The event will be hosted by Ocean and Gottmik from RuPaul’s Drag Race and only the most fab will bring home the title.
- Festsaal Kreuzberg. Am Flutgraben 2, 12435 Berlin. Starts 19.00
23 SAT
Lost Clubs of West Berlin: Before Berlin Became the Techno Capital
WALKING TOUR Curious about what connects Café Del Mar, Moby and Britney Spears with Derrick May, Love Parade… and the humble environs of West Berlin? Then join Dr Jonathan Weatherill-Hunt on this tour that traces West Berlin’s electronic music scene of the 80s and 90s, before techno as we know it. The route will take in the sites of former and electronic dance venues, illustrating how such music has reflected and influenced the city’s identity since the late 20th century.
- Meeting point: U-Bahnhof Kleistpark, 10781 Berlin. Starts 12:00
24 SUN
Karneval der Kulturen Parade
FESTIVAL As tradition dictates, the Karneval der Kulturen brings a vibrant parade sweeping through the streets, full of music, dancing, acrobats, bright costumes and plenty of smiles. For the second year, it takes over Frankfurter Allee and Karl-Marx-Allee and it’s open to all. Whether you’re watching or joining in, you won’t be disappointed.
- Frankfurter Allee/Karl-Marx-Allee, 10243 Berlin. Starts 13.30
Berlin Punk Rock Market
MARKET If you’ve ever wanted to stock up on badges, t-shirts and posters from independent makers, this gem of a market returns for its summer edition. Packed with stalls, it brings together a wide mix of subcultural creatives, plus DJs and food, making it as much a hangout as a place to shop.
- Cassiopeia Garden. Revaler Straße 99, 10245 Berlin. Starts 13:00
Ballroom: Ball Part II
DANCE The Legendary House of Louboutin with German Mother Dream and Everston are throwing a ball with a special focus on queer BIPOCs. Ballroom culture is huge in Europe, and so bringing this to Berlin feels very special. Expect fierce looks, death drops and queer excellence.
- ufaFabrik: Theatersaal. Viktoriastraße 10-18, 12105 Berlin. Starts 17:00
Whitsun Carillon
CONCERT To mark Whitsunday, the Carillon Berlin fills Tiergarten with springtime compositions by the likes of Bach and Grieg. Performed live by carillonneur Jeffrey Bossin, all 68 bells are played by hand, sending music ringing out across the park.
- John-Foster-Dulles-Ecke Große Querallee. John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, 10557 Berlin.Starts 16:00
25 MON
Berlin Asian Music Festival
CONCERT This classical music festival brings together artists from four countries, using sound as a point of connection. Featuring works by Isang Yun, Hyunjeong Park, Dongjin Kim, Youngsim Noh and Junho Kim amongst others, the programme highlights a range of contemporary musicians. The setting of the elegant Konzerthaus Berlin is a fitting venue for a night of refined listening.
- Konzerthaus Berlin. Gendarmenmarkt 2, 10117 Berlin. Starts 19:00. Through May 28
27 WED
Poppers
CLUB Now in its fourth year, this dance-party-cum-karaoke is a celebration of club culture, sexual liberation and homoeroticism. Hosted by Berlin’s naked drag queen BLEACH, the night features a poppers pageant, where ravers stand the chase of winning – you guessed it – poppers. Plus drag performers from all over Germany bask in the spotlight, adding to the wild hedonistic fun.
- Monster Ronsons. Warschauer Str. 34, 10243 Berlin. Starts 20:00
28 THU
Berlin Design Week
DESIGN Bringing together leading voices across product design, interiors, architecture and brand strategy, this gathering puts the next generation of European and international designers front and centre. With fresh perspectives and bold ideas, it aims to push the conversation forward within Berlin’s ever-evolving design ecosystem.
- Various locations. Through May 31
Xposed Queer Film Festival
FILM Unearthing long-lost treasures and queer classics alongside films reflecting contemporary queer life, this festival marks its 20th edition with a global focus, from Australia and Canada to Korea, Turkey, Spain and the Middle East. A must for queer cinephiles after something off the beaten track.
- Various locations. Through May 31
House of Lunacy
S+ PARTY When Renate was granted a reprieve and a new 10-year lease this year, it meant that Berlin’s most beloved kink-centric party was able to make a return too. This is the second of the four House of Lunacy parties that were announced for 2026, and the theme for this edition is BLOOM. Dressing appropriately is mandatory, so be sure to make an effort to adhere to the theme. As always, expect plenty of performances and a stacked lineup of DJs.
- Renate. Alt-Stralau 70, 10245 Berlin. Starts 21:00
TipBerlin and The Berliner Party
PARTY Not that we needed an excuse, but there are two reasons to celebrate: our sister magazine tipBerlin hits 300K Instagram followers, and we’ll just have dropped our 250th issue (not bad, huh?). So naturally, we’re throwing a party. Expect fire performances from cabaret sweetheart Charlie Bouquet and DJs Mark Reeder and Amy Dabbs to keep things burning on the dance floor. Go ahead and book Friday off. We will.
- Former Kingsize Bar. Rosenthaler Str. 39, 10178 Berlin. Starts 20:00
29 FRI
Berlin Chili Fest
FOOD Spice up your life! The chili festival brings serious heat to the city, with stalls spanning flavours from across the globe. From fiery sauces to bold bites, it’s a chance to taste your way through everything from Japanese to Mexican, Indian to Korean, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Consider your tastebuds officially warned.
- Berliner Berg Brauerei. Treptower Str. 39, 12059 Berlin. Starts 18:00. Through May 31
XJAZZ! Weekender
MUSIC If like us, you were devastated to hear that XJAZZ! had been cancelled, hopefully you’ll find some relief knowing that they’re still going ahead with a reduced version. But smaller doesn’t mean less. Across two nights, expect standout sets from Moses Yoofee Trio, Gilles Peterson and Delphine Joussein, among others to keep us satiated until next year (fingers crossed).
- Festsaal Kreuzberg. Am Flutgraben 2, 12435 Berlin. Start times vary. Through May 31
African Book Festival
LIT Featuring readings, panels, concerts and performances, this three-day festival brings together literary voices from across Africa and the African diaspora. Founded in 2018 and growing ever since, each edition centres around a new theme; this year, it’s the audience. So show up and show some love.
- TAK – Theater und Aufbau Haus. Prinzenstraße 85 F, 10969 Berlin. Through May 31
30 SAT
Choriner Straßenfest
FESTIVAL This street festival is a non-profit project which aims to unite and promote neighbourhood culture through beer, bratwurst, stalls and music. Turning the whole street into a party complete with bunting and family-friendly offerings is a unique experience within the hustle and bustle of Prenzlauer Berg.
- Choriner Straße, 10435 Berlin. Starts 12:00
Project Space Festival
FESTIVAL Uniting the whole city in various locations, this free event includes exhibitions, events and performances. Its aim is to promote visibility of the project spaces of Berlin and to foster exchange and mutual support within the community. With 30 events in 30 locations, it celebrates community and independent spaces where every day a selected project room curates the programme.
- Various locations. Through June 28
