Happy Birthday, The Berlin Ceilidh – two years full of dancing, music and joie de vivre! 16 ceilidhs, around 3,000 enthusiastic fans and dancers – and still not nearly enough: on 15 October, The Berlin Ceilidh is celebrating its second birthday and, at the same time, its 17th event at the Kesselhaus in the Kulturbrauerei.
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The Berlin Ceilidh feat. Nightlark
For the past two years, the brilliant Nightlark and their callers have been demonstrating the unique magic that live music can conjure up when it’s played not just to listen to, but to dance to. When was the last time you actually danced to live music?
What began in the Maschinenhaus and has since found a permanent home in the Kesselhaus has become an integral part of Berlin life. Around 3,000 people have now danced, clapped, laughed, joined hands and swapped partners at the Berlin Ceilidh.
Anyone who’s been there regularly probably has a favourite dance by now: Polka with Clapping, Circassian Circle, Riverside Jig, Virginia Reel, The Flying Scotsman, Dashing White Sergeant – or, of course, Strip the Willow, the traditional finale to every evening.
And if you don’t know what a Cumberland Square Eight looks like, there’s really only one solution: you’ve got to experience it for yourself.
No prior experience is needed. The callers explain the dances step by step, with humour and patience. You can come on your own, as a couple or with friends – a few minutes later, you’ll be dancing with people you’ve never met before anyway. That’s exactly what a ceilidh is all about: everyone can join in, no one is left out.
The band: Nightlark
The band Nightlark will guide you through the evening with their music. Nightlark are Patrizia Sieweck (violin/caller), Jane South (flute/accordion) and Herbie Loening (guitar). They play contemporary and traditional folk music from America and Europe. The trio have also been performing as a professional ceilidh band for many years.
Why a CEILIDH?
Particularly in times of cultural cutbacks and economic constraints, The Berlin Ceilidh aims to remain an event for everyone. It’s not about dancing perfectly, but about live music, movement, connection and community. Ceilidh originally means ‘coming together’ or ‘gathering’. They say: Ceilidh means joy.
At a ceilidh, people come together who might otherwise never have met. They dance together, laugh together and spend a lively evening – respectfully, openly and as one.
Those who are already part of our growing regular crowd know what to do. And for everyone else: pop in, join in the dancing, become a Ceilidh fan, and come back again
Participating artists
The Nightlark
Dates
October 2026
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