Summer is here, and so is the lineup of Berlin’s best events. Interested in a music festival? A street fair? Art exhibit? Rest assured, we have options for you.
Keep reading to see our picks for June.
June 1
Berlin Jazzwoche
IG Jazz presents seven days packed with genre-bending, discourse-starting jazz, inviting the most sought-after ensembles around. The theme for the 6th edition is ‘Visibility’, and the featured musicians are set to make themselves known in over 30 concerts in venues across the city. Don’t know what to see? Here are our picks: Jun 1, 21:00: At House of Music, two standout ensembles, Fallen Crooner and Malstrom, encourage musical discussion and, through their improvisation, embrace the endless possibilities of contemporary jazz. Jun 5, 21:00: Quique Sinesi, the Latin-Grammy-winning Argentinian guitarist and composer, brings his newly-founded quartet to Zig Zag Jazz Club. Jun 6, 20:00: Brazilian composer Ed Motta, notorious for his genre-melding style, brings the sounds and rhythm of Rio to Lido for an unforgettable night of jazz blended with samba, funk, disco, soul, bossa and pop.
- Various locations, Through Jun 7, details.
Burgermania Berlin
Kick back and enjoy mouth-watering creations from the burger kings of Berlin – including star restaurateur The Duc Ngo, Goldies and Starburger – while Prince Charles club’s former DJ crew spin hip hop classics all day long. Stay on for the afterparty, which, having feasted on greasy burgers all day, you’re now perfectly fueled for!
- Nåpoleon Komplex, Modersohnstraße 35-45, Friedrichshain 12:00-18:00, details.
Citadel Music Festival
Once again, the historic fortress opens its stage for a series of concerts. With 24 gigs, it’s hard to pick a favourite act, but here are some of ours: PJ Harvey, ANOHNI and the Johnsons, AIR, and Queens of the Stone Age.
- Zitadelle Spandau, Am Juliusturm 64, Spandau, Through Sep 1, details.
Irish Theatre Festival
Pat Kinevane and the Fishamble Theater Company present a new play: KING. Following the success of his harrowing one-man show Silent, Kinevane proves once again that there’s nothing quite like Irish theatre. Berliners looking to be moved can catch KING and several other contemporary Irish plays in Germany’s oldest English-language theatre.
- The Keller Theater, Hermannplatz, Weserstr. 211, Neukölln, Through Jun 15, details.
June 2
Berlin Global in 60 Minutes
Have an hour to spare? Humboldt Forum offers a speedy tour through the interactive Berlin Global exhibition, where you can “dance inside a giant disco ball or discover local history through telescopes”. Sounds fun, we’re not going to lie. Admission is free, but make sure to reserve a spot in advance.
- Berlin Global, Schloßpl., Mitte, Starts 11:00, details.
Naked Karaoke
Yep, exactly what it sounds like. Live out your biggest fantasy (or worst nightmare) at Monster Ronsons’ legendary night of belting in your birthday suit. If you miss this one, the venue will host a second Naked Karaoke on September 1.
- Monster Ronsons, Warschauer Str. 34, Friedrichshain, Starts 20:00, details.
Museum Sunday
Our monthly PSA that museums and galleries across the city open their doors free of charge today. Time slots fill up quickly, so make sure to book in advance.
- All participating locations on Museum Sunday Website.
“International Whore’s Day” Evening Performance
Calling all “whores and their allies”! On the occasion of Sex Workers Day, Schwules Museum hosts performances by Liadland and the Berlin Strippers Collective and speeches by the Sex Work Action Group (SWAG). Want to show even more support? Join SWAG at the 4pm demonstration at Hardenbergplatz.
- Schwules Museum, Lützowstraße 73, 20:00-22:00, Mitte, details.
Hearing Angels II
Get ready to see God in this second instalment of Hearing Angels, a live choir that combines sacred Gregorian music and black metal. The passion project of metal vocalist Attila Csihar, Egyptian singer and poet Abdullah Miniawy and composer Hildegard von Bingen, this is a cross-cultural auditory (and downright religious) experience.
- Trauma Bar und Kino, Heidestraße 50, Mitte, 18:00-22:00, details.
The Dark Market Summer Special
If you’re looking to add a bit more black to your closet, this small, open-air goth market offers first- and secondhand everything, from clothing and jewellery to records, books and art to mead and incense.
- Dunckerclub, Dunckerstraße 64, Prenzlauer Berg, 12:00-18:00, details.
ADFC Sternfahrt
Join the “Radvolution”! During this annual demonstration, cyclists of Berlin commandeer major roadways throughout the city in order to advocate for improved biking conditions such as less private car traffic and more green spaces. The best part is that a section of the route takes over the Autobahn.
- Find all routes and start times on their website.
June 4
Bontanical Tour in Spreepark
Berlin is brimming with life 24/7, even at a micro level. During this tour through Spree Park, attendees will gain knowledge about native plants, their intricate communities and adaptability to the changing climate. Botanists, ecologists and novice nature lovers gather to answer existential questions like: How do plants know which way is up and down?
- Spreepark, Kiehnwerderallee 2, Spandau, Starts 18:00, details.
June 5
The Zone of Interest
Director Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest brings the deadly effects of complicity to the forefront of our imagination. This is a film you must listen to, not just watch.
- Freiluftkino Kreuzberg, Zugang über Adalbertstraße, Mariannenplatz, Bethaniendamm 2, Kreuzberg, Starts 21:30, details.
June 6
Black and Brown Cabaret Performance
Functioning as both a safe space and an exuberant night of fun, all are welcome to enjoy a night of burlesque, drag, comedy and live music, spotlighting BIPOC, immigrant and refugee performers.
- SO36, Oranienstraße 190, Friedrichshain, Doors 19:30, details.
Comedy Night
Looking for a night of laughs? The Social Hub’s comedy night may be the answer. Amateaur comedians take the stage Jun 6 to share their best material. Come see the show and enjoy a good belly-laugh.
- The Social Hub, Alexanderstraße 40, Mitte, Starts 19:30, details.
June 7
Open House at Hamburger Bahnhof
Hamburger Bahnhof rings in the summer season with three free open-house days plus the start of Berlin Beats, an open-air concert series in its garden (also free!) running through August 29. Last year, over 50,000 techno fans flocked to the museum between June and August to celebrate Berlin’s one-of-a-kind relationship to the genre. Oda Haliti returns to the stage to kick off the series. The rest of the events will take place from June 20 to August 29, every Thursday from 7 until 10pm. Did we mention it’s free?
- Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstraße 50, Mitte, Starts 10:00, Through June 9, details.
Ballet of the Masses
Football grants a rare opportunity for Germans to practise a little bit of patriotism. Ballet of the Masses makes this feeling, let’s say, tangible, transforming the world’s most popular sport into an aesthetic and artistic experience through architecture, discourse, film, literature, music and performance.
- Haus der Kulturen der Welt, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10, Mitte, Through Jul 14, details.
Berlin Berlin
On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the Helmut Newton Foundation is putting on a group show with works that capture the essence of 19th-century Berlin, from Barbara Klemm’s photojournalism to stills from Wim Wenders’ Himmel Über Berlin. The highlight will be a selection of Newton’s photographs of Berlin from the 1930s to the 2000s.
- Helmut Newton Foundation, Jebensstraße 2, Schöneberg, Through Feb 16, 2025, details.
June 8
Akinbode Akinbiyi. Being, Seeing, Wandering
Photographer Akinbiyi captures human beings at their most carefree and also their most vulnerable, silently illuminating discrepancies in modern society. This retrospective includes over 130 shots in major cities across the world.
- Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße 124-128, Kreuzberg, Through Oct 14, details.
Pankow Arts Festival
A perfect outdoor excursion for the whole family: head to Schönhausen Palace Park and enjoy a day filled with good food, art and music. Entrance to the castle itself is also free from 11am until 7pm.
- Schönhausen Palace, Tschaikowskistraße 1, Pankow, Through Jun 9, details.
SOMMERLIGHTS Festival
SOMMERLIGHTS is coming to Dark Matter, the multimedia exhibition space housed in a former factory. Both permanent and temporary pieces will serve as the backdrop of this year’s open-air festival, but FLOW, the large-scale installation by light artist Christopher Bauder and musician Chris Kuijten, is the highlight. DJ Max Cooper will begin the festival in the outdoor space after sunset.
- Dark Matter, Köpenicker Ch 46, Lichtenberg, Through Sep 2024, details.
ADIRA Drag Festival: A Celebration of Arab* Drag
‘Adira’ is a colloquial term in Arabic used in queer Levantine culture to mean someone strong, capable, driven and successful. This festival provides a platform for creatives from the Arab* diaspora in Berlin and globally to flex their drag talents.
- Gretchen, 12-6, Through Jun 9, details.
June 9
Shirin Neshat. The Fury
Hauntingly illuminated through film and black-and-white photography, acclaimed Iranian artist Neshat’s exhibit at Fotografiska examines sexual exploitation of female political prisoners in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is the last day to visit the exhibit.
- Fotografiska, Oranienburger Str. 54, Mitte, Last Day to Visit the Exhibit, Starts 18:00, details.
June 10
Kings of the Meadows
Charlottenburg Palace’s most esteemed inhabitants (its sheep) are back in the limelight this summer to show off their talents. On an interactive guided tour for all ages, Shepherd Björn Hagge and his hard-working sheepdogs tell you all about the upkeep of their fuzzy friends.
🐑 The exciting world of Berlin’s urban sheep
- Schloss Charlottenburg, Spandauer Damm 10-22, Charlottenburg, Through Sep 1, details.
June 13
Queer Exile Berlin with Jochen Hick
An unmissable entry on this year’s outdoor cinema calendar is Queer Exile Berlin, an exemplary examination of the city’s history and reputation as an international LGBTQ+ haven, and the final installation of Jochen Hick’s ‘queer Berlin trilogy’.
- Freiluftkino Kreuzberg, Zugang über Adalbertstraße, Mariannenplatz, Bethaniendamm 2, Kreuzberg, Starts 21:30, details.
Silent Spreepark
Put on your headphones and dance like nobody’s watching while testing your auditory memory at this silent concert. As the party goes on, the identities of each musician will slowly be revealed, giving the evening a cheeky twist.
- Spreepark, Kiehnwerderallee 2, Spandau, Starts 19:30, details.
June 14
Köpenick Summer Festival
It’s a little outside of the city centre, but this water-locked folk festival on the island of the 16th-century Köpenick Palace is worth the trek, filled with local artisans, food vendors, live music and a parade.
- Köpenick Palace island, Schlossinsel 1, Treptow, Through Jun 16, details.
UEFA EURO 2024
It’s the EUROs – and the opening match will be shown on every available screen in the city. If you’re looking for one spot, though, check out the Kulturbrauerei which invites football fanatics to watch the opening match – Germany vs Scotland – on the huge LED screen in their courtyard. There are no reservations, so make sure to arrive early to secure a good spot, food and drink.
- Kulturbrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, Prenzlauer Berg, Match starts 21:00, details.
June 15
Queer Feminist Summer Festival
Beyond the commercial shopping streets of Hackescher Markt, a parallel world of underground galleries, bars and movie theatres is tucked away in the passageways Hackesche Höfe. This weekend, its street art gallery Haus Schwarzenberg hosts a celebration of art and queer feminism with an after show lineup of FLINTA* musicians.
- Haus Schwarzenberg, Rosenthaler Str. 39, Mitte, Starts 18:00, Through Jun 16, details.
Marzahn Pride 2024
Quarteera collective and Marzahn’s Russian-speaking LGBTQ+ community are hosting the 5th edition of Marzahn Pride. This year, they aim to show solidarity not only with queer folks in their home countries who continue to fight against hostility, but also those affected by the violence of war, those standing in opposition to right-wing extremism, those deprived of their right to vote and persecuted political prisoners, journalists and activists. In addition to the parade, readings, workshops, excursions and film screenings will take place at various locations in the district.
- More info on website.
June 16
The Brain in Science and Art
Following last years successful unveiling of new temporary exhibition spaces, The Berlin Museum of Medical History is back with this perennially popular exhibition on the human brain.
- Berliner Medizinhistorisches Museum der Charité, Charitépl. 1, Mitte, Through Sep 8, details.
Exhibiting. Omissions. Objects from Tanzania and the Colonial Archive
Unlike many exhibits showing stolen treasures in museums across Europe, Exhibiting.Omissions. acknowledges the violent history of acquisition, tells the story of the objects and, in collaboration with the National Museum of Tanzania, begs the question: Do these objects really still belong in Berlin? This is the last day of the exhibition.
- Humboldt Forum, Schloßpl. 1, Mitte, Ends today, details.
June 17
Smut Slam
Who doesn’t like stories about sex? Hosted by Cameryn Moore, this dirty storytelling event invites audience members to the stage to tell their sad, funny, happy and (mainly) awkward bedtime stories. The best tale wins a prize, so it’s worth being brave!
- Crack Bellmer, Revaler Str. 99, Friedrichshain, Doors 19:30, details.
June 18
Jewish Film Festival
Founded in 1995 on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Jewish Film Festival is one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. This year, the flick fest is back to capture the beauty and diversity of Jewish life on screen through about 50 featured films of all genres.
- Various locations in Berlin and Potsdam, Through Jun 23, details.
June 19
30-Minute Chess Crash Course
Maybe it was Queen’s Gambit or our collective pandemic boredom, but chess has become especially popular over the past years. This is your chance to learn the ropes of the world’s most famous brain game in just 30 minutes. Best of all, it’s free.
- World Chess Club, Unter den Linden 26-30, Mitte, 19:00-20:00, details.
June 21
Fête de la Musique
Last year, tens of thousands of music lovers stormed Berlin to hear their favourite bands and unknown talents on the city’s streets for free. The global music festival returns to the city with a bang this year, celebrating the summer solstice with over 100 indoor and open-air venues featuring acts from every possible genre. We can’t think of a better way to spend the official first day of summer and the longest day of the year.
- Various venues in Berlin, Starts 16:00, details.
June 22
Berlin Full Moon Marathon
If the Berlin Marathon is too crowded (or expensive) for your taste, this night-time version might be more to your liking. The sun won’t have set at the start time, but by kilometre 40 you’re sure to be howling at the moon.
- Start and finish at Sport Centrum Siemensstadt, Buolstraße 14, Spandau. Marathon starts 17:00, half marathon starts 18:00, details.
Long Night of the Sciences
During the annual Long Night of the Sciences, institutions across Berlin and Potsdam invite participants into laboratories, libraries, lecture halls and archives that are otherwise closed to the public.
- Various locations in Berlin and Potsdam, 15:00-24:00, details.
End of Season Berlin Philharmonic Concert
Sure to be an ethereal summer treat, the season’s last concert for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra takes place at the Waldbühne, considered by many to be one of Europe’s most breathtaking open-air stages.
- Waldbühne, Glockenturmstraße 1, Spandau, Starts 20:15, details.
June 23
Pub-Quiz and Watch Party
Ahead of the European finals, everyone is talking about football. But do you really know the German national team? Show off your football knowledge with a pub quiz before the Germany/Switzerland game.
- Social Hub, Alexanderstraße 40, Mitte, Pub Quiz starts at 19:00, Watch party starts at 21:00, details.
June 25
Letters Live
Come and see some of the most important letters from world history, read live by our most talented actors. Letters Live is the first time this acclaimed literary event has come to Germany and it looks to be an unforgettable night, held both in English and German.
- Letters Live, Berliner Philharmonie, details
June 27
The Visitors
From the choreographer that brought you that dance scene in Poor Things, The Visitors features the DorkyPark dance company and several young South African prodigies in an evocative, youthful and poignant production.
- Volksbühne, Linienstraße 227, Mitte, Starts 19:30, details.
I go to work in the morning presents “New Things: an R & B Kickback”
At this monthly afterwork party, 2000s R & B music shows Berliners how Brooklyn celebrates the end of the work day. For lifelong fans or new listeners, this party will showcase some of the best R & B and help everyone find their new favorite song.
- Social Hub, Alexanderstraße 40, Mitte, Starts 19:30, details.
June 28
VROOM VROOM – Ignite the hype!
What better way to bridge the generational gap than by centering a party around a revived trend? With the best of the 90s and noughties (hyperpop and trance, that is), VROOM VROOM speaks both to youngsters in their “Y2K era” and fortysomethings looking to relive their youth for one night.
- SchwuZ, Rollbergstraße 26, Neukölln, Doors 22:00, details.
48 Hours Neukölln
Neukölln’s 25th annual (free!) arts and culture festival celebrates around 300 institutions, societies and artists – professionals and novices alike. The event takes on a freeform and unpretentious curation – no ticket or reservation needed. Just grab a friend and take in the experimental music, sound installations and performance art.
- Various locations across Neukölln, 19:00-22:00, Through Jun 30, details.
Kreuzberg Festival
Kreuzberg’s annual street festival is turning 30 this year. To celebrate, there will be over 30 bands on three outdoor stages across three days of music, food, and cultural offerings just opposite Viktoriapark.
- Kreuzbergstraße, Möckernstraße and Großbeerenstraße, Katzbachstraße, Kreuzberg, Through Jun 30, details.
Open-Air Swan Lake Performance
For this year’s al fresco summer spectacle, Gärten der Welt presents Swan Lake, a classic ballet appropriate for all ages. The enchanting performance is accompanied by a live orchestra in the stunning natural atmosphere of the amphitheatre-like Arena stage. During this whimsical summer night, it will be difficult to tell the stage from the garden as your surroundings blend with the timeless love story of Odette and Prince Siegfried.
- Gärten der Welt, Blumberger Damm 44, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Starts 20:00, Through Jun 29, details.
Critical Mass Berlin
Your second chance to piss off car drivers this June. On the last Friday of every month, several thousand cyclists participate in cities across the world to peacefully reclaim the streets. The motto is: “We don’t hinder traffic, we are traffic!”
- Starts at Mariannenplatz, Friedrichshain, at 20:00. More info here.
June 29
The Berliner Live: Summer Party
Little League Shows and The Berliner are teaming up for a live gig and party in arguably Berlin’s best venue for discovering new bands. Indie newcomers Objet Darling, featuring The Berliner writer Rhyannon Styles, are performing along with synth-poppers Timbeau. After the bands finish. DJ Einkaufswagen and Jonny Tiernan will be DJing until very late.
- Schokoladen, Ackerstraße 169, Mitte, Starts 19:00, details.
Pornceptual Day & Night Open Air
The Pornceptual sex-positive parties usually take place in the dark, underground rooms of Alte Münze, but every summer they take to Else for a special outdoor open air party. This is a chance to dance outside until the sun goes down, and to even keep going until it comes up again, if you’re so inclined.
- Else, An den Treptowers, Friedrichshain, starts 14:00, details.
June 30
Audre Lorde: The Berlin Years
Photographer Dagmar Schultz captures the self-described Black lesbian feminist poet in her element as she made West Berlin her home from 1984 to 1992. This exhibit also marks the renaming of the northern stretch of Manteuffelstraße after Lorde.
- FHXB Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum, Adalbertstr. 95A, Kreuzberg, ends 30.06, details.
Drag Brunch
Drag Brunch is back again! Enjoy mimosas and a buffet before a top-class drag performance. The Queen’s artistry, glamour, and talent, combined with delicious food and drinks, will make this brunch a one of a kind experience.
- Social Hub, Alexanderstraße 40, Mitte, Starts 13:00, details.
Schöneberg’s Red Island
Join The Berliner history writer Nathaniel Flakin on a tour through Schöneberg’s ‘Red Island’, the only area in Berlin that’s completely enclosed by train tracks – and has a politically-charged past.
- Meet at Ella-Barowsky-Str. 68, Schöneberg, behind the Shell station on Sachsendamm, 14:00-16:00, details.
Descriptions written by Kassidy McIntosh and Belle Lewis
