Monday 1
Naruto the Gallery
With over 200 million copies sold, Naruto ranks among the most beloved mangas of all time. Naruto-run over to RAW Gelände for an immersive fan exhibition that your nerdy 12-year-old self would’ve gladly traded all their ninja headbands for.
- Radsetzerei, Revaler Str. 99, Friedrichshain. Through Nov 24, details.
DESCENT (A Ritual Performance)
A contemporary retelling of the ancient Sumerian myth of Inanna’s journey into the underworld, DESCENT merges body, sound, and silence into a raw ritual of memory and transformation. Together, Riley Davidson, Moritz Ebert and Juan Cernades guide audiences into an unflinching meditation on empire, complicity, and the necessity of collapse before renewal.
- Märkisches Ufer 1z. Sep 1, 4 & 5 at 18:00, details.
Wednesday 3
Fantasy Filmfest
Why not be early to the spooky season? This legendary indie film fest returns for its 39th edition this fall. From chilling psychological thrillers to nasty found-footage splatterpunk, Fantasy Filmfest is here to remind you just how versatile fake blood can be.
- Zoo Palast, Hardenbergstraße 29 A, Charlottenburg. Through Sep 10, details.
Listening Session @ Silent Green
Berlin label !K7 Records turns 40, and DJ-Kicks celebrates 30 years with an intimate one-night-only listening session. Modeselektor unveil their brand-new DJ-Kicks mix – plus a secret alternate version – alongside a conversation with fellow alum Cinthie about the art of crafting these iconic compilations. Expect archive footage, classic mixes, and a deep dive into the history of the series.
- Silent Green, Gerichtstr. 35, Wedding. Starts 19:00, details.
Thursday 4
Music Frontiers Conference
Forget stale industry panels – Music Frontiers is all about collisions: where musicians, researchers, tech pioneers, and creative thinkers gather to debate and reimagine the future of sound. Across two days, expect bold conversations, innovative ideas, and a fresh look at how music can evolve in the digital age.
- AQUA-Höfe, Lobeckstr. 30–35, Kreuzberg. Through Sep 5. Starts 10:00, details.
Silent Film Live Festival
Long before Hans Zimmer gorilla-gripped the entire industry with his magical movie soundtracks, films were usually scored live by an in-house organist. Relive the magic of Berlin’s glorious pre-Marvel (and pre-dialogue) Kino days at this 10-day silent movie marathon.
- Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte. Through Sep 14, details.
QueerFilmFestival
Back for its seventh edition, the Queer Film Festival screens some of the year’s boldest, funniest, and most beautiful queer cinema. This year’s spotlight includes special guests like Jan Eilhardt (Janine Moves to the Country) and Marcio Reolon & Filipe Matzembacher (Night Stage).
- Delphi Lux, Yva-Bogen, Kantstr. 10, Charlottenburg. Through Sep 10, details.
Friday 5
Tattoo Convention Berlin
Germany’s oldest tattoo festival returns with a lineup of over 300 international ink masters and a weekend-long programme featuring panel talks, DJ sets, concerts, competitions and the chance to get a new piece from your favourite artist.
- Arena Berlin, Eichenstr. 4, Treptow. Through Sep 7, details.
Frizzante
Be so for real: no man will ever satisfy you like a perfect slice of Neapolitan pizza paired with a chilled glass of lightly sparkling Lambrusco. Join tipBerlin and Viani for a weekend of authentic Italian delicacies, hands-on workshops and enough vino frizzante to have you belting Ti Amo by midnight. That’s dolce vita, baby.
- St. Elisabeth Kirche, Invalidenstr. 3, Mitte. Through Sep 7, details.
IFA 2025
Just because the tech broligarchs are busy destroying life on Earth as we know it doesn’t mean you can’t marvel at the latest wonders of human invention. With over 1,800 exhibitors – showcasing everything from the newest cutting-edge gaming gear to mildly terrifying household robots – IFA remains an annual highlight for Berlin’s tech-hungry community.
- Messe Berlin, Messedamm 22, Charlottenburg. Through Sep 9, details.
Season Opening at Konzerthaus Berlin
Konzerthaus Berlin kicks off the new season with a wild ride through four centuries of classical music. Hosted by chief conductor Joana Mallwitz, the evening also introduces new Artist in Residence and world-renowned pianist Alice Sara Ott.
- Konzerthaus Berlin, Gendarmenmarkt, Mitte. Starts 20:00, details.
MILK ME 6 YEARS FEST
Berlin’s beloved queer techno institution MILK ME marks six years with a night of fierce live performances from Cosey Mueller, Sex Beat, Warm Exit, and Nochteff – followed by a basement afterparty in Lidolino hosted by DJs Maria Ghoerls and Caillou.
- Lido, Cuvrystraße 7, Kreuzberg. Doors 18:00, details.
Saturday 6
Newton’s Riviera & Dialogues
After decades as Vogue‘s most sought-after fashion photographer, Berlin-born bad boy” of photography Helmut Newton finally settled in Monaco in his late 60s. This double exhibition delves into the glamorous final chapter of Newton’s career along the sun-drenched beaches of the French Riviera.
- Museum für Fotografie, Jebensstr. 2, Charlottenburg. Through Feb 2026, details.
Helga Paris: für uns
Known for her intimate black-and-white photography, Helga Paris compassionately chronicled everyday life in the DDR – from garbage men on duty to children playing in the shadowy back alleys of East Berlin. Honouring the late artist’s life and work, Fotografiska presents an extensive retrospective featuring key series such as Treff-Modelle, Berliner Jugendliche and Hellersdorf.
- Fotografiska Berlin, Oranienburger Str. 54, Mitte. Through Jan 2026, details.
Berlin Chili Fest: Harvest Event
Whether you’re looking to test your pain tolerance in a professional chili-eating contest, compete for the coveted title of Berlin’s best homemade hot sauce, or just munch your way through an assortment of abysmally spicy snacks – Berlin’s premier fiery food festival has got you covered.
- Berliner Berg Brauerei, Treptower Str. 39, Neukölln. Through Sep 7, details.
Wohnkomplex. Kunst und Leben im Plattenbau
What if concrete blocks could speak? Wohnkomplex. Kunst und Leben im Plattenbau, curated by Kito Nedo, brings together five decades of art shaped by prefab life. These works look past the grey exteriors to explore memory, resistance and everyday life behind the Plattenbau façade.
- DAS MINSK Kunsthaus in Potsdam, Max‑Planck‑Straße 17, Potsdam, details.
Antikmeile Suarezstraße
A beloved late‑summer ritual returns: the 24th Antique Mile transforms Suarezstraße into a treasure trove of vintage and design finds – think fine furniture, paintings, porcelain, jewelry, and rare curiosities from Biedermeier to Art Deco (and beyond). New this year: a brass quartet kicks off the day, a golden celebration by the volunteer fire brigade, and a locally crafted “Zeitwerk 2025” furniture collection on display.
- Suarezstraße (between Kantstraße & Kaiserdamm), Charlottenburg. 12:00–20:00, details.
Berlin by Foot: Urban Exploration Weißensee
Once Berlin’s silent-film Hollywood, today better known for its art school, Weißensee brims with hidden stories. This 2-hour guided stroll takes in Bauhaus pavilions, colorful modern housing, faux Dutch façades, serene lakes, and cinematic traces of Expressionist cinema. A quiet district of contrasts, where history and modernity collide.
- Between Caligariplatz and Mies-van-der-Rohe Haus, Oberseestraße 60, Weißensee. Starts 13:00 details.
Sunday 7
Naked Karaoke
Clothes off, mic on! Join host and rockstar drag queen BLEACH for a magical night of communal singing au naturel. Because the best way to shake off the Sunday Scaries is to grab your bestie, free those nips and belt out Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten in front of a crowd of equally bare-bottomed strangers. Release your inhibitions!
- Monster Ronsons, Warschauer Str. 34, Friedrichshain. Doors 18:00, details.
Critical Mass Berlin (Sunday Ride)
Skip the Friday night chaos and join the more easygoing Sunday edition of Berlin’s monthly bike demo. Starting at 14:00 from the Brandenburg Gate, hundreds of cyclists roll through the city streets in a show of pedal-powered solidarity. Expect community vibes, slower pace, and plenty of bells ringing along the way.
- Brandenburger Tor, Pariser Platz, Mitte. Starts 14:00, details.
Tuesday 9
Black Lips
10 days before the release of their new studio album, Season of the Peach, US garage punk legends Black Lips are joined by Berlin-based experimental act Jaguar No Me and Spanish indie pop trio Diamante Negro for a night of raw, unhinged musical exploration at SON Estrella Galicia.
- Bi Nuu, Im U-Bahnhof Schlesisches Tor, Kreuzberg, doors 20:00, details.
Wednesday 10
Berlin Art Week
As per the unwritten rule, September is art month in the **Hauptstadt**. Over 100 museums, galleries and showrooms open their doors to Berlin’s cultural aficionados, presenting the crème de la crème of international contemporary art.
- Various locations. Through Sep 14, details.
Thursday 11
FilmPolska
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, FilmPolska has spent the past two decades bringing the very best of Polish filmmaking to Berlin. This year’s panorama, under the motto “Crossroads,” highlights movies about unexpected encounters and the lives they transform.
- Various locations. Through Sep 17, details.
International Literature Festival Berlin
Now in its 25th edition, ILB has once again put together a stacked lineup of award-winning writers, poets and performers – including celebrated literary GOATs such as Isabel Allende and Herta Müller. Ditch BookTok, go IRL. Find out more on page 88.
- Various locations. Through Sep 20, details.
Film Without Borders
The ideal weekend getaway, this four-day indie film fest at Brandenburg’s serene Scharmützelsee highlights features, documentaries and shorts exploring positive visions for humanity’s future. Expect screenings, workshops, intimate talks with filmmakers – and maybe some optional skinny dipping.
- Eibenhof Bad Saarow, Brandenburg. Through Sep 14, details.
POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair
Now in its 12th edition, POSITIONS Berlin returns to Tempelhof’s vast Hangar 7, showcasing 75 galleries from 19 countries as part of Berlin Art Week. This year spotlights Japan’s vibrant gallery scene alongside a packed program of talks, awards, and special exhibitions – all under those soaring 16-meter ceilings.
- Tempelhof Airport, Hangar 7, Columbiadamm 10. Through Sep 14, details.
Friday 12
Open Monuments Day
Every fall, iconic landmarks across the city invite curious Berliners to explore the city’s rich historic and architectural heritage. This year, don’t miss the chance to visit Charlottenburg’s colossal “spaceship” – the former International Congress Centrum Berlin (ICC), which has been closed to the public since 2014.
- ICC Berlin and monuments across the city. Through Sep 14, details.
Halal Food Festival
Cute date inspo: you, your crush, and a handpicked spread of mouth-watering halal street food, from Moroccan tajine and Turkish mantı to twists on German comfort classics like Bratwurst im Brötchen.
- Napoleon Komplex, Modersohnstr. 35–45, Friedrichshain. Through Sep 14, details.
Lost Art Festival
This interdisciplinary art festival transforms the abandoned warehouses of an old lightbulb factory into a sprawling playground for monumental light and sound installations, DJ sets, immersive performances, hidden bars and pop-up restaurants by some of Berlin’s most talented up-and-coming chefs.
- Luxwerk, Nonnendammallee 44, Spandau. Through Sep 14, details.
18 Years Renate
Just months before the closing of yet another beloved Berlin institution, the unwavering folks at Renate invite you to one last unforgettable, no-holds-barred, boundary-breaking, booty-shaking birthday blowout. Go out with a bang, Renate!
- Renate, Alt-Stralau 70, Friedrichshain. Through Sep 15, details.
Saturday 13
Long Night of Astronomy
Look at the stars! Look how they shine for you! No, seriously, like actually look at them through the gargantuan scientific telescope at Zeiss planetarium in Prenzlauer Berg at this year’s Long Night of Astronomy. And they were all yellow!
- Zeiss-Großplanetarium, Prenzlauer Allee 80, Prenzlauer Berg. Starts 17:00, details.
Potato Festival Dahlem
Sure, money can’t buy you happiness – but it can buy you five to six pounds of the most life-changing, golden-brown, perfectly crispy Bio-Kartoffelpuffer at Dahlem’s annual harvest festival this weekend.
- Domäne Dahlem, Königin-Luise-Str. 49, Dahlem. Through Sep 14, details.
SPATIAL Festival
For three days, Funkhaus transforms into a vast sonic playground as SPATIAL Festival takes over Saal 1, Saal 2, Shedhalle, and MONOM Studio. Each hall becomes a 4DSOUND installation – immersive, large-scale, and entirely without visuals – inviting listeners to experience music as pure space and vibration. A rare chance to hear architecture itself turned into an instrument.
- Funkhaus Berlin, Nalepastraße 18, Oberschöneweide, Sep 12–14, details.
Berlin by Foot: Berlin as a Colonial City
Berlin was once the nerve center of German colonial expansion, extractivism, and exploitation – histories that still shape the city today. This guided walk traces those legacies through the streets, exploring the ideologies that drove 18th- and 19th-century colonialism and how they remain visible in Berlin’s urban fabric.
- Meeting point: Altes Museum, Lustgarten, Museum Island. Starts 11:00, details.
Sunday 14
Berlinathon Grande Finale
After a glorious summer of cultural cardio, lace up for one final lap together with friends, family and anyone else you dragged along to Berlinathon this year. Time to celebrate, or, as the old German proverb goes: “Everything has an end, only the sausage has two.”
- Tempelhofer Feld. Starts 10:00, details.
Das Festival für Selbstgebaute Musik
Forget guitars – at Festival für Selbstgebaute Musik, the instruments are made from junk drawers, rooftops and raindrops. Berlin’s wildest DIY sound festival returns with workshops, concerts and sonic contraptions you’ve never heard before. Build it, bang it, play it – music on your own terms.
- Holzmarkt 25. Friedrichshain. Starts 13:00, details.
Monday 15
Berlin Democracy Day
Let’s be honest: fascism is in fashion again, the vibes are dystopian and your occasional activist tweet just isn’t going to cut it anymore. This hands-on democracy fair is your chance to get involved for real. Meet local NGOs and grassroots campaigns and learn how to turn that existential dread into collective action.
- America Memorial Library, Blücherplatz 1, Kreuzberg. Starts 11:00, details.
Smut Slam: Hidden Talents
Sex, secrets, and scandal take the mic at Smut Slam, where anyone can share true-life tales of desire gone right (or very wrong). Expect hidden talents, unexpected twists, and plenty of laughs as host Cameryn Moore guides Berlin’s boldest storytellers through an open-air night of blushes and prizes. Last outdoor slam of the season – so bring your courage, or just come ready to listen.
- Villa Kuriosum, Scheffelstr. 21, Lichtenberg. Doors 18:00, details.
Tuesday 16
Common Tongue 2 – Roma Theatre Festival
With right-wing nutjobs back on the ballot, remembering our past is just as important as preparing for what’s next. This six-day festival unites Roma theatre companies from across Europe to fight historical erasure and discrimination through art and solidarity.
- Volksbühne, Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz, Mitte. Through Sep 21, details.
Thursday 18
De Profundis
Ever written your ex a 3,000 word breakup letter from prison? Oscar Wilde did – and it’s finally on stage. De Profundis runs on select dates throughout September, but be there the 18th for English surtitles if your Deutsch “ist nicht so gut”. Come for the wit, stay for the emotional spiral – dark, stylish and intimate, just like Wilde himself.
- Deutsches Theater (Großes Haus), Schumannstr. 13a, Mitte. Starts 19:30, details.
Friday 19
Flight: Photographs from Moldova, Georgia and Armenia
Over the past four years, renowned German photographer Frank Gaudlitz has travelled through post-Soviet countries to capture people fleeing war and persecution, revealing raw and powerful stories of loss, hope and resilience.
- Museum Europäischer Kulturen, Arnimallee 25, Dahlem. Through Mar 2026, details.
Girl, Show Me That Body (Of Work): FLINTA* Literature Night
The world of publishing often sidelines the voices of FLINTA* migrant communities – but this literary series puts them centre stage. Celebrate feminist migrant authors as they reclaim and rewrite the narrative.
- Lettrétage, Veteranenstr. 21, Mitte. Starts 20:00, details.
Milfshake Show
Hosted by dazzling showgirl Elsie Marley, local dance studio Schönheitstanz presents a steamy night of live burlesque, polesque and chair dance (yes, just like that scene in Flashdance). Consider us brought to the yard.
- Lido, Cuvrystr. 7, Kreuzberg, doors 19:30, details.
Berlin by Foot: Miles and Murals – A Street Art-Run
Kick off the weekend with a guided jog through Kreuzberg’s open-air gallery of graffiti, murals, and underground art. Starting and ending at the Berlinische Galerie, this tour blends workout and culture – perfect for marathon warm-ups or anyone who wants to see Berlin’s most colorful side on the move.
- Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstr. 124–128. Kreuzberg. Starts 18:00, details.
Saturday 20
Moabiter Kiezfest
Whether you’re a Turmstraße veteran or new to the Kiez, this block party featuring over 100 vendors, street food stalls and local cultural initiatives is your chance to explore one of Berlin’s most slept-on neighborhoods.
- Rathaus Tiergarten, Mathilde-Jacob-Platz 1, Moabit. Starts 12:00, details.
Scenic Circus – Diaries in Motion
Diaries in Motion brings together four performers from Ukraine, Russia, and Austria to explore personal and political change through circus and movement. Blending physical theatre and acrobatics, the show traces how young artists navigate constraint, freedom, and uncertainty.
- Pfefferberg Theater, Schönhauser Allee 176, Prenzlauer Berg. Starts 20:00, details.
Sunday 21
Berlin Marathon
Known as the world’s fastest marathon course, Berlin’s iconic 42K race will take place for the 51st time this Sunday. Over 50,000 runners cross the finish line each year, proving that everything is possible with determination and a whole lot of carbo-loading.
- Straße des 17. Juni, Tiergarten. Starts 09:15, details.
Monday 22
Coffee Week Berlin
If you’re among those bean-obsessed zillenials who’ve made espresso levelers and matcha whisks – rather than half-marathons or street photography – their entire personality, this week-long, city-wide coffee festival is for you. Stay caffeinated!
- Haus der Visionäre and cafés across the city. Through Sep 27, details.
Tuesday 23
HUMP! Film Festival
Humbly self-titled “the world’s best erotic film festival”, this two-day celebration of creative and artful smut serves up 22 spicy adult short films – queer, body-inclusive and 100% kink-positive.
- Babylon Kreuzberg, Dresdener Str. 126, Kreuzberg. Through Sep 24, details.
Wednesday 24
Premiere: K
Berliner Ensemble kicks off the new season with a bold new musical take on Kafka’s most famous (and arguably most unsettling) novel The Trial, reimagined by none other than Komische Oper’s artistic director Barrie Kosky.
- Berliner Ensemble, Bertolt-Brecht-Platz 1, Mitte. Starts 19:00, details.
Thursday 25
Kurdish Film Festival
Now in its 15th year, this week-long programme spotlights Kurdish filmmakers from Kurdistan and the diaspora, telling stories of resistance, resilience and everyday life under oppressive regimes.
- Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte. Through Oct 1, details.
Ursus & Nadeschkin: PRSPKTVNWCHSL
For over 30 years, Swiss duo Ursus & Nadeschkin have spun absurd humor and razor-sharp wit into an art form – earning the 2024 Deutscher Kleinkunstpreis honorary award along the way. Their new show PRSPKTVNWCHSL is a surreal ride through time, language, and logic, where roles flip, minutes stretch, and laughter collides with confusion.
- Pfefferberg Theater, Schönhauser Allee 176, Prenzlauer Berg, Sep 25–28, details.
Friday 26
Festival of Animation
Showcasing the full spectrum of beautifully mind-bending animated cinema, this interdisciplinary short film festival goes all in with screenings, panels, workshops, an immersive 3D exhibition and a special deep-dive into the vast world of Japanese anime.
- silent green, Gerichtstr. 35, & City Kino Wedding, Müllerstr. 74, Wedding. Through Sep 28, details.
Saturday 27
Close Enough
Twelve women from the legendary New York-based Magnum photo agency join forces for a striking group exhibition, featuring intimate, socially charged works that blur the line between documentary, political commentary and personal artistic vision.
- C/O Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 22–24, Charlottenburg. Through Jan 2026, details.
Festival of Giant Kites
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s a 10-foot inflatable of that smug little mouse from the 1999 cinematic fever-dream Stuart Little! Grab your windbreaker and soak up the last few rays of sunshine for this year at the city’s annual giant-kite festival on its former airfield.
- Tempelhofer Feld. Starts 11:00, details.
After Nature Prize 25
Two remarkable artists – Lisa Barnard and Isadora Romero – reimagine what nature means in the Anthropocene through photography and lens-based media. Their prize‑winning projects confront ecological, technological, and perceptual entanglements – from echolocation, lithium-mining, and machine vision to forest coexistence and speculative reforestation.
- C/O Berlin (Amerika Haus), Hardenbergstraße 22–24, Charlottenburg. Through January 2026, details.
Buch-Berlin
Whether you’re into existentialist philosophical essays, political memoirs or hardcore omegaverse werewolf smut, Berlin’s biggest indie book fair is back to quench your literary thirst with some fresh reads and zero judgement.
- Arena Berlin, Eichenstr. 4, Treptow, starts 10:00, details.
Gayhane
Halay your brains out at Berlin’s oldest and campiest “HomOriental” dance party, serving up bass-heavy Turkish, Arabic, Greek and Hebrew beats all night.
- SO36, Oranienstr. 190, Kreuzberg, starts 23:00, details.
Sunday 28
Berlin Ramen Festival 2025
Slurp your way through two days of ramen bliss as the Berlin Ramen Festival returns for its third – and biggest – edition yet. Expect everything from rich tonkotsu to spicy tantanmen, plus mochi, sake, karaoke, and even a Japanese conbini corner. A full-on culinary and cultural mashup, now set in the industrial halls of Napoleon Complex.
- Napoleon Complex, Modersohnstr. 35–45, Friedrichshain, Sep 27–28, details.
Discover Berlin by Foot: City of Kings and Emperors (Potsdam)
Journey from Berlin into regal history with this immersive 3-hour excursion into Potsdam – the city of monarchs, baroque wonders, and eccentric genius. Meet your guide outside Potsdam Hauptbahnhof and retrace the footsteps of kings, emperors, and visionary builders through the city’s palaces, gardens, and historic heart.
- Potsdam Hauptbahnhof, Babelsberger Str. 16, Potsdam, starts 11:00, details.
