On Ascension Day, Berlin has a truly varied programme in store for you. In Pankow, you can wander through open studios and exhibitions at the artspring art festival, sing along with Dr. Pop in the teepee by the Chancellery, or let yourself be transported back to the 1920s at the Babylon cinema with a live orchestra performance of Fritz Lang’s silent film classic *Metropolis*. There’s plenty for families to enjoy too: a musical storytelling performance with dance awaits at Tempelhofer Feld. Discover our 11 tips for your bank holiday here.
Tip 1: Discover the artspring art festival 2026
In May, Pankow becomes a grand stage for contemporary art. At the 10th edition of the artspring art festival, you’ll encounter painting, graphic art & sculpture, photography & video, as well as performances based on film and literature.
Particularly nice: many events are free or run on a donation basis. Perfect, then, for wandering through the district on Ascension Day, discovering new favourite spots and getting to know Berlin’s creative scene along the way. Go with the flow and turn your public holiday into an art walk.
Where: Various locations
Tip 2: Try your way through Gelato Week Germany 2026
Ascension Day with a scoop of holiday in your hand: at Gelato Week Germany, you can discover special flavours in Berlin that participating ice-cream parlours have created especially for the event week. Each scoop costs €1.80, and many ice-cream parlours also offer vegan options. Perfect for a sweet stroll through your favourite neighbourhood – or as an excuse to discover several new gelaterias at once.
Pick up a map at a participating ice cream parlour and start your own gelato tour.
Where: Various locations
Tip 3: Join in the singing with Dr. Pop at the Tipi by the Chancellery
This evening is for everyone who loves music – and isn’t afraid to sing along. Dr Pop combines musical knowledge, comedy and a piano recital into a format where well-known songs are allowed to linger longer than in his other shows.
At the grand piano, he expressly invites you to sing along, accompanied by clever observations on pop culture and charming ‘aha’ moments. Grab your favourite people and get in the mood for the festive evening.
Where: Tipi am Kanzleramt, Große Querallee, Mitte
Tip 4: Get involved in Lina Lapelytė’s “We Make Years Out of Hours”
At the Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart Berlin, art becomes a shared experience on Ascension Day: Lina Lapelytė transforms the Historic Hall into a mutable landscape made up of 400,000 wooden cubes. Performers and visitors build, alter and move the installation – accompanied by voices and sound. The result is a living monument to time, community and change.
A particular highlight: on Thursdays, the performances take place from 2 pm to 5 pm. Come along, become part of the work and experience contemporary art with all your senses.
Where: Invalidenstraße 50, Mitte
Lina Lapelytė’s “We Make Years Out of Hours”
Tip 5: Fly with Nils Holgersson through the Komische Oper Berlin
A boy, a domestic goose and a great journey: Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Adventures brings Selma Lagerlöf’s classic children’s book to the stage as a children’s opera. This new production is about courage, friendship and self-confidence – told with poetry, wit and plenty of magic.
The production is recommended for children from Year 1 upwards, making it perfect for a family outing over the long bank holiday weekend.
Where: Komische Oper Berlin at the Schillertheater, Bismarckstraße 110, Charlottenburg
Tip 6: Experience Metropolis live with the Babylon Orchestra Berlin
At the Babylon cinema, Ascension Day takes on a cinematic twist: Fritz Lang’s Metropolis is considered an icon of German silent film and is accompanied here by the original music of Gottfried Huppertz, performed live by the Babylon Orchestra Berlin. Opened in 1929, the cinema provides the perfect backdrop for futuristic cityscapes, glowing asphalt and a piece of cinematic history. If you want to experience Berlin as a film city, this is the place for you. Secure your seats and immerse yourself in a classic that continues to resonate to this day.
Where: Babylon Cinema, Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30, Mitte
Tip 7: Immerse yourself in the Berlin Theatertreffen 2026
Every year, the Berlin Theatertreffen brings ten outstanding new productions from the German-speaking world to Berlin. There are also talks, readings, discussions and events that take you behind the scenes of current theatre debates.
This is ideal for Ascension Day if you want to do more than just watch, but experience theatre as a living space for thought. The encounters with artists and experts are particularly exciting.
Where: Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstraße 24, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Tip 8: Listen to Women in Oriental Music at the Theater im Delphi
The Creative Music Lab III festival is dedicated to the creative voices of women who are part of the musical traditions of the Middle East and the Mediterranean region ( ). On 14 May, the spotlight will be on Rima Khcheich and the Levant Echo Trio – with music that blends tradition, improvisation and contemporary musical languages. The Theater im Delphi , with its unique atmosphere, promises an intense evening of concert-going.
Where: Theater im Delphi, Gustav-Adolf-Straße 2, Weißensee
Oriental Music at the Theater im Delphi
Tip 9: Discover “Das NEINhorn” and “Das Farbenmonster” at the Luftschloss
Cheeky, imaginative and full of music: at the Luftschloss Tempelhofer Feld, the new season kicks off with two children’s book favourites on stage. “Das NEINhorn”, based on Marc-Uwe Kling’s book, uses clever wordplay to tell a story of stubbornness, friendship and a rather grumpy mythical creature. “Das Farbenmonster”, based on Anna Llenas’s book, takes young and old audiences alike on a musical journey through the world of emotions.
Perfect for families who want to experience open-air theatre – so grab your kids and celebrate the start of the season at Tempelhofer Feld!
When: depending on the performance
Where: Luftschloss Tempelhofer Feld, Tempelhofer Feld / South-West Entrance, Tempelhof
Tip 10: Discover PULS & PEILUNG at the Schaubude Berlin
At PULS & PEILUNG, you’ll get a fresh perspective on contemporary puppetry – straight from the artistic workshops of students at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts. At the Schaubude Berlin, you can look forward to graduation premieres, pre-graduation performances, original creations and guest performances by international partner courses. The festival showcases just how surprising, political, poetic and physical puppetry can be today.
Ideal for anyone who wants to experience theatre beyond traditional stage formats. Come and be surprised.
Where: Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, Greifswalder Straße 81–84, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 11: Meet Rosa Luxemburg at the Theater im Palais
This musical reading focuses on Rosa Luxemburg not only as a politician, but as a human being and a woman. Her letters from prison are set to music by Dora Pejačević, an Austro-Hungarian countess and composer who has been rediscovered in recent years.
The result is an evening exploring freedom, passion, sensuality and two extraordinary life stories. A quiet, intense finale for anyone wishing to end the holiday with some profound reflections.
Where: Theater im Palais, Am Festungsgraben 1, Mitte
