As the evenings draw in earlier, Berlin is showing just how impressively the city can be showcased through light, art and culturethis October weekend. At the Festival of Lights, famous landmarks are illuminated; in Berlin Cathedral, projections dance across the walls and vaults; and at ‘Himmel unter Berlin’, the trail even takes you deep beneath the city. At the same time, festivals, concerts, literature, family activities and new exhibitions are bringing life to the neighbourhoods. From the Funkhaus to the Zitadelle and on to the Gropius Bau, it’s well worth discovering Berlin from a whole range of different perspectives this weekend.
Tip 1: Discover Berlin in a new light at the Festival of Lights
As soon as it gets dark, the view of Berlin changes: at the Festival of Lights 2026, running from 9 to 18 October, monuments, buildings and squares become a stage for light art. The 22nd edition is themed ‘Colours of Love’ and focuses on the different facets of love. Light installations, sculptures, art and music accompany the staging of Berlin’s famous landmarks. Projections and light installations will shape the cityscape between 7 pm and 11 pm.
Let yourself drift through the city and discover familiar places from new perspectives.
When: from Friday until 18 October 2026, 7 pm – 11 pm each day
Where: throughout the city
Tip 2: Hop on board and follow the lights through Berlin
If you’d like to see even more of the Festival of Lights in comfort, you can continue exploring the light art from the comfort of a bus. There are two tours that take you to selected festival venues and combine several installations in a single evening:
The Lightliner sets off from the Neptune Fountain and has been part of the Festival of Lights since its inception in 2005. The tour, which lasts around two and a half hours, features live commentary in German and English and includes two photo stops.
A second option is the Lightseeing tour on a double-decker bus, departing from Alexanderplatz. This tour also lasts around two and a half hours, features commentary in German and English, and includes three photo stops, including at the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and Bebelplatz. If the weather is fine, the roof of the bus can also be opened.
When: from Friday until 18 October 2026; bus tours daily at 7 pm, each lasting approx. 2.5 hours
Where: Lightliner departs from the Neptune Fountain, Spandauer Straße, Mitte; Lightseeing tour departs from Alexanderstraße 3–5 at Alexanderplatz, Mitte
Tip 3: Experience the Festival of Lights at Berlin Cathedral
This tip takes you inside one of Berlin’s famous landmarks: this weekend, ‘Beyond the Light: Reflections’ is premiering at Berlin Cathedral. The 30-minute 3D video show transforms the chancel into a projection screen, combining light art with the music of Good Vibes Tribe 11:11. Ambient sounds, meditative melodies and so-called Solfeggio frequencies accompany the projections, whilst the walls and vaults themselves become part of the production. Here, across various performances, you’ll experience how light transforms a historic interior.
When: Friday 19th, 8.15 pm & 9.30 pm; Saturday 20th, 9.15 pm & 10.30 pm; Sunday 20th & 9.15 pm
Where: Berlin Cathedral, Am Lustgarten, Mitte
Tickets
Tip 4: Turn night into day at Family Night
This Saturday, the evening belongs to families: at the 16th Family Night , venues across all Berlin districts will open their doors to children and adults between 5 pm and midnight . The programme includes, amongst other things, acrobatics, picture-book cinema, experiments, nature exploration, museum visits, night-time climbing, campfires and theatre – many of these activities cost little or nothing to attend.
A central meeting point is the opening event at Spandau Citadel. At the‘Wild & Stark’ theatre festival, you’ll encounter dance theatre, modern circus, street performances, magic and a fire show; there are also fairy-tale walks and torchlight tours through the citadel. The special appeal: children can discover Berlin at a time when many cultural venues have long since closed. The opening event is aimed at children aged 0 to 13, is free of charge and requires no booking.
Anyone wishing to combine the evening even more closely with theatre can head over to the Alte Möbelfabrik in Köpenick. There, from 5 pm, children can create masks and puppets for a shadow theatre stage, try on costumes from the theatre’s wardrobe and take part in theatre workshops. Later on, there will be light installations and canvases to paint in the garden, a family disco and bread on a stick cooked over the fire pit.
When: Saturday, 5 pm – midnight; opening 5 pm – 9.30 pm
Where: Events across all Berlin districts; opening at Spandau Citadel
Tip 5: Enjoy Berlin Food Week 2026
Berlin Food Week ends on Sunday, so make sure to sample the most delicious dishes from around the world one last time. Germany’s most diverse food festival not only treats you to regional and international dishes, but also features chefs, restaurateurs and food producers presenting their creations in person : They’ll be sautéing, braising and poaching right before your eyes, so you’ll not only see how food is prepared using a wide variety of techniques, but you’ll also be able to feast on the new creations – or even get behind the stove yourself.
In a range of workshops , you ’ll cook a menu featuring your favourite dishes under professional guidance and using top-of-the-range equipment.
When: Friday to Sunday, various opening times
Where: Restaurants and venues across the city
Tip 6: Let the PEOPLE Festival surprise you with the unexpected
The focus here isn’t on the final line-up, but on making music together: at the PEOPLE Festival , 180 international musicians first come together for a week in 40 studios at the Funkhaus. In constantly changing line-ups, new pieces and groups emerge – and it’s only this weekend that the doors open to the public. Then, 200 concerts will be spread across 11 stages, ranging from small rooms for 50 people to halls with space for 1,000 guests.
The line-up includes, amongst others, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Sharon Van Etten, Henning May, Erlend Øye, Colin Stetson, Patrick Watson and Gail Ann Dorsey. Who plays with whom and when is deliberately left open; some artists even perform without prior announcement. It is precisely this unpredictability that makes the weekend so appealing: you’ll experience music that has emerged from a week of collaborative work and , in some cases, is being played in public for the very first time. The venue is the sprawling Funkhaus, with its studios and concert halls of varying sizes.
When: Saturday & Sunday, from 10 am on both days
Where: Funkhaus Berlin, Nalepastraße 18–50, Oberschöneweide
Tip 7: Party at the OkSoberfest with absolutely no alcohol
A beer festival without alcohol? That’s exactly what the OkSoberfest is all about on 10 and 11 October: at its debut event at the KulturBrauerei , you can sample more than 100 non-alcoholic products from 26 exhibitors, whilst enjoying music, sport and a stage programme. The festival is explicitly not intended as an event where people have to go without, but rather as a meeting place for anyone who wants to celebrate together – just without intoxicants.
Performing on stage will be, for example, Marc Terenzi and DJ Tomekk. There’ll also be an alcohol-free pub quiz with Sebastian Klussmann, bestselling author Michael Nast will talk about ‘Sober Dating’, and Stumpen from Knorkator will perform with his daughter. Away from the stage, you can get active yourself: yoga, solo padel, darts, mini table tennis and an eSports lounge are all part of the programme. Children up to the age of 16 get in for free.
When: Saturday 12 noon – 7 pm; Sunday 11 am – 7 pm
Where: KulturBrauerei, Schönhauser Allee 36, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 8: Explore global health issues at the World Health Summit
For anyone interested in global health and the intersections between research, politics and society: on Sunday, attention in Berlin will turn to issues that extend far beyond the city: the World Health Summit begins on 11 October and brings together representatives from politics, academia, business and civil society organisations from around the world. The focus will be on current challenges and priorities in global health.
The Summit sees itself as an international platform for exchange, networking and collaborative solutions. What’s particularly exciting is that scientific findings and new developments are not only presented, but their practical and political feasibility is also considered.
When: Sunday, with further sessions on Monday and Tuesday
Where: InterContinental Berlin, Budapester Straße 2, Tiergarten
Tip 9: Have a browse at the Reading Festival
On Sunday, the ‘Zwischen Blättern & Buchseiten’ reading festival kicks off in Marzahn-Hellersdorf. Running until early November, it brings literary events to various, sometimes unusual venues across the borough, combining readings with moderated discussions.
The programme features , amongst others , Wolfgang Lippert, Katja Oskamp, Marion Brasch, Laura Wagner, Sarah Stankewitz and Christelle Zaurrini. What makes it special is that not only the books, but also their respective settings are set to form part of the experience. Places are limited for some events and will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
When: from Sunday, 4 pm – 8 pm
Where: various venues in Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Tip 10: Immerse yourself in moving images at the Festival of Animation
At the Festival of Animation Berlin (FAB), running from 8 to 11 October 2026, you can enjoy international short films, competitions, workshops, exhibitions and live events. You can discover new talent, vote in the Horror Special on sci-fi, body and folk horror, and experience how animation extends beyond the cinema: the FAB Dimensional exhibition combines moving images with games, installations and sculptural works.
There are special programmes for families: Pink Panda is aimed at various age groups, whilst at the weekend many events form part of the KinderKulturMonat and are free for children up to the age of twelve. An unusual venue is the dome hall at silent green, where the programme on Saturday includes, amongst other things, 360° animation and a live performance. On Sunday, the festival concludes there with an awards ceremony followed by a closing party.
When: Friday to Sunday
Where: various festival venues
Tip 11: Descend into ‘Himmel unter Berlin’
Whilst the Festival of Lights illuminates Berlin’s façades, ‘Himmel unter Berlin Vol. III’ takes you in the opposite direction: deep beneath the city. The third instalment of this art project takes place within a sprawling network of tunnels and vaulted cellars that stretches across several buildings. There, small hidden chambers become venues for installations by international artists such as Yasuhiro Chida, Cod.Act, Guillaume Marmin, Martin Messier and Kling Klang Klong. The unfinished nature of the space is an integral part of the concept.
The spaces were not originally intended for visitors, but were part of areas once known only to factory workers. Amidst narrow passageways, darkness and contemporary art, an atmosphere emerges that lies somewhere between an exhibition and Berlin’s underground culture. The exact venue will only be revealed once tickets have been booked.
When: Friday to Sunday, 6pm–10pm each day
Where: secret venue in Berlin; details provided upon booking
Sky above Berlin
Here you’ll find even more great tips for events in Berlin – whatever the weather.
