Summer is just around the corner and no one in Berlin will be able to stay inside for much longer. And why should they? The open-air season has begun and there is a lot to discover in Berlin – free of charge and outside!
In June, one festival follows another. Whether it’s special birthdays, various street festivals or the famous Carnival of Cultures at Whitsun: Berlin has a lot to celebrate in June!
June at a glance
To the overview for the whole year
Tip 1: PEACE x PEACE – Your Voice For Children
The PxP Festival takes place right at the beginning of June. Europe’s largest benefit festival for children aims to draw attention to the unacceptable situation child refugees face all around the world. On the 1st of June, artists such as Silbermond, Gentlemann, Alligatoah, SPD, Lea, Fettes Brot, Nico Santos, Lena Meyer-Landrut, Alice Merton and many more will perform on stage at Parkbühne Wuhlheide. Together with you, they want to do their bit to help children. All proceeds and other donations go to worldwide children’s aid projects. So make sure you get your ticket fast, be there and raise #yourvoiceforchildren!
When: 1st June
Where: Parkbühne Wuhlheide, An der Wuhlheide 187, Treptow-Köpenick
Further information about the PxP Festival
Tip 2: Umweltfestival at the Brandenburg Gate
On the 2nd of June, the GRÜNE LIGA Umweltfestival, Germany’s largest environmentally-friendly festival, will be taking place at the Brandenburg Gate for the 24th time. On this day, the otherwise busy road of Straße des 17. Juni will be transformed into an ecological adventure mile with plenty to discover. More than 250 exhibitors will provide information about various projects, present their innovations from the varied fields of environmental protection, nature conservation, and environmentally-friendly mobility and spoil you with delicious organic food, talks, live music and much more. You and your children can learn a lot through exciting hands-on activities.
In 2018, over 80,000 Berliners and guests from all over the world visited the festival, so don’t miss it!
When: 2nd June, 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Straße des 17. Juni & Platz des 18. März at the Brandenburg Gate, Mitte
Further information about the Umweltfestival at the Brandenburg Gate
Tip 3: Two special birthdays: GRIPS Theater & ufaFabrik
GRIPS Theatre’s 50th birthday
One of the world’s most famous children’s and youth theatres and a true Berlin institution is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. Having performed almost 200 plays, GRIPS Theatre has inspired, moved and encouraged countless people over the past half century. The theatre can look back at an extraordinary and eventful history, which has made the world a little bit more liveable.
From the 6th to 19th of June, the 50th birthday festival will take place in keeping with the theme “ON THE CHILD’S SIDE”. In addition to reworkings of GRIPS children’s classics, there will also be guest performances from all over the world.
We wish them a happy birthday and look forward to the next 50 years of GRIPS theatre!
When: 6th to 19th June
Where: GRIPS-Theater Hansaplatz, Altonaerstraße 22, Mitte
Further information about the 50th birthday of GRIPS Theater
ufaFabrik’s 40th birthday
In June, another classic performance venue celebrates a big birthday: the ufaFabrik is turning 40 and we would like to congratulate them too.
On the 9th of June, the international cultural centre invites you to a big birthday gala on the open-air summer stage. Artists who are connected to the ufaFabrik, such as the Incredible Herrengedeck, Arnulf Rating, Terra Brasilis and other surprise guests will be performing on stage in an entertaining line up and there will be dancing from 10 pm.
When: 9th June
Where: ufaFabrik, Viktoriastraße 10-18, Tempelhof-Schöneberg
Further information about the 40th birthday of ufaFabrik
Tip 4: Open-air concerts
In June, the open-air concert season finally resumes!
Various world stars will rock the Olympiastadion, the Waldbühne and other stages in Berlin again this summer.
The following open-air concerts in June should not be missed, as they are among the absolute concert highlights of the year:
- Kelly Family (1st June, Waldbühne)
- KISS (4th June, Waldbühne)
- Phil Collins (7th June, Olympiastadion)
- Die Schlagernacht des Jahres (15th June, Waldbühne)
- Rammstein (22nd June, Olympiastadion)
- Berliner Philharmoniker at Waldbühne (29th June, Waldbühne)
Tip 5: Carnival of Cultures (Karneval der Kulturen)
Carnival at Whitsun? Unimaginable for some people from the south and west of Germany, but everything is different in Berlin and on the Whitsun weekend Kreuzberg will turn into a real carnival hotspot. The colourful hustle and bustle of the Carnival of Cultures has been one of Berlin’s most popular street festivals for over 20 years.
If you’re in Berlin for the long Whitsun weekend, don’t miss this multicultural extravaganza! Together with around one million other people, celebrate the cultural diversity that our planet and Berlin have to offer.
The festivities already begin on Friday at the Global Village around Blücherplatz, then the highlight of the Carnival of Cultures happens on Sunday: At 12:30 pm the famous street parade starts at the corner of Yorckstraße and Großbeerenstraße. The parade, in which more than 5,000 participants from many parts of the world are involved, continues along Gneisenaustraße, past Südstern and Hasenheide to Hermannplatz.
When: 7th to 10th June, large street parade on 9th June from 12:30 p.m.
Where: various places in Kreuzberg and Neukölln
Further information about Carnival of Cultures
Concierge Marc Schnabel has even more tips for an unforgettable Whitsun weekend in Berlin!
Tipp 6: 48 Stunden Neukölln (48 hours Neukölln)
The diverse arts and culture festival is taking place for the 21st time this year. On the third weekend in June, the neighbourhood is transformed into an unconventional art district where there is plenty to discover. This year’s theme is “Future III”: 48 Stunden Neukölln dares to take a look into the distant future, which at that point in time will already have been a thing of the past.
Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Let the artists take you on a journey through time into the future and take a look at “how we will have lived”.
When: 14th to 16th June
Where: different places in the district of Neukölln
Further information about 48 Stunden Neukölln
Tip 7: Long nights
Long Night of the Sciences
What does an operating theatre at the Charité hospital look like? How can Grandma’s handwriting be deciphered? How drunk does a chocolate actually make you? And how can digitalisation and virtualisation influence road traffic?
These and countless other questions can be answered during the Long Night of the Sciences. On the 15th of June, more than 70 different scientific institutions in Berlin will open their doors until late into the night and hold more than 2,000 different informative lectures on current research projects, discussions, workshops, participatory experiments and other exciting events.
When: 15th June
Where: various scientific institutions in Berlin and at the Potsdam Telegrafenberg
Further information about the Long Night of the Sciences
Long Night of Religions
Over 100 religious groups, synagogues, churches, mosques, temples and parish halls will open their doors until late into the night on the 15th of June and welcome you to their sacred buildings. The theme of the Long Night of Religions in 2019 is “The Water of Life”. With various exhibitions, concerts, lectures and guided tours on this topic, the different communities wish to provide information, have conversations with people of other religions and world views and show how diverse Berlin is in terms of faith and religion as well.
The Long Night of Religions opens with the Long Table of Religions at Gendarmenmarkt at 1 pm. Traditionally, believers of all religions come here to eat and drink together and exchange ideas.
When: 15th June
Where: different religious communities all over Berlin
Further information about the Long Night of Religions
Tip 8: Return of the Raisin Bombers
The Raisin Bombers were the transport planes used to supply West Berlin in 1948 and 1949 during the Soviet Union’s blockade. The Airlift was a globally unique logistic and technical masterpiece and the Raisin Bombers are coming back to the scene of the historical event.
On the 15th and 16th of June, 40 DC3/C 47, DC4 and JU 52 aircraft from various parts of the world will take off and fly over Berlin as part of the 70th anniversary of the Airlift. For the first time in history, the Airlift will be visible and tangible for our generation.
The view into the sky will definitely be worth it on the third weekend of June!
When: 15th June 5 p.m., 16th June 1 p.m.
Where: In the sky above Berlin
Further information about the Return of the Raisin Bombers
Tip 9: Staatsoper für alle (State Opera for all)
In June it’s that time of year again: Under the direction of Daniel Barenboim, the Staatskapelle of the State Opera on Unter den Linden invites all Berliners and guests from all over the world to the Staatsoper für alle on Bebelplatz.
The programme on the 15th and 16th of June includes the Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and the Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 by Johannes Brahms. Whether you’re a classical music fan or not, this free open-air concert on the historic Bebelplatz, framed by the State Opera, Hotel de Rome and Humboldt University, is a must!
Our tip: pack your picnic basket and enjoy the concert from your picnic blanket.
When: 15th June from 3 p.m. and 16th June from 1 p.m.
Where: Bebelplatz, Mitte
Further information about Staatsoper für alle
Tip 10: Fête de la Musique
The 21st of June is not only the beginning of the astronomical summer, but also the Tag der Musik (Day of Music) and when Fête de la Musique is celebrated in Berlin. On around 100 stages in all twelve districts, musicians from all genres, whether amateurs or professionals, will give their all to entertain you – for free and outside. On this evening, the capital will become a huge open-air stage. This year the focus is on the district of Treptow-Köpenick in south-eastern Berlin. In this area alone, there are concerts taking place on 20 stages.
When: 21st June, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by an after-show programme at various locations
Where: 100 different stages in all 12 districts
Further infromation about Fête de la Musique
Tipp 11: Bergmannstraßenfest – Kreuzberg jazzt (Kreuzberg gets jazzy)
For 25 years, Bergmannstraße in Berlin has been the place to eat, drink, listen to jazz and party every summer. Kreuzberg turns into a real jazz hotspot at the Bergmannstraßenfest: over 50 bands will perform on different stages along the festival mile for three days. There are also plenty of culinary delights, handicrafts and local traditions to discover and there is lots on offer for children. This year there is a small change: the three-day party will be taking place on Kreuzbergstraße rather than Bergmannstraße.
The Bergmannstraßenfest is one of the most popular street festivals in Berlin, so don’t miss it. Admission is free!
When: 28th to 30th June
Where: On Kreuzbergstraße in the Bergmannkiez neighbourhood, Kreuzberg
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