| Jan 1 |
New Year's Day |
Germany
|
| Jan 6 |
Holy Three Kings' Day (Epiphany, 12th day after Christmas)
|
Bavaria & Black Forest |
| Jan-Feb |
Fasching (Mardi Gras carnival season)
|
Köln, Frankfurt, Mainz & more |
| March 23 |
Easter Sunday |
Germany
|
|
April-May |
Spring Festival ("Frühlingsfest" — carnival rides, beer
tents; www.muenchner-volksfeste.de)
|
Munich
|
| April 17-May 3 |
Biennale (classical music festival, every 2 years; www.muenchenerbiennale.de) |
Munich |
| May 1 |
May Day (maypole dances, beer drinking) |
Germany
|
| May 1 |
Ascension Day (religious festival) |
Germany |
| May 9-12 |
Carnival of Cultures (multicultural festival, www.karneval-berlin.de) |
Berlin |
| May 9-12 |
Master Draught Show ("Meistertrunk" — medieval costumes, re-enactment of historic beer-drinking; www.meistertrunk.de) |
Rothenburg |
| May 9-25 |
Dresden Music Festival (www.musikfestspiele.com) |
Dresden |
| May 11 |
Whitsun (Pentecost) |
Germany |
| May 12 |
Whit Monday (religious festival, closures) |
Germany |
| May 14-18 |
International Dixieland Festival (www.dixieland.de) |
Dresden |
| Mid May
|
Horse Races (www.baden-galopp.de)
|
Baden-Baden
|
| May 22 |
Corpus Christi (religious festival)
|
Frankfurt, Köln, & Bavaria |
| May 30-
June 8 |
Wine Festival
(www.weindorf-wuerzburg.de or www.wuerzburg.de) |
Würzburg (Bavaria) |
| May 30-June 29 |
Mozart Music Festival (www.mozartfest.de) |
Würzburg (Bavaria) |
| June 27-29 |
City Festival (www.elbhangfest.de) |
Dresden |
| Throughout July |
Wine Fests (weekends)
|
Mosel River region
|
| July 4-20
|
Kiliani Volksfest (carnival rides and games, beer tent)
|
Würzburg (Bavaria) |
| Mid-July |
City Festival Week ("Stadtfestwoche") |
Dresden |
| July 12 |
Köln Lights ("Kölner Lichter" — ship parade, fireworks, music; www.koelner-lichter.de)
|
Köln |
| July 18-23 |
Kinderzeche Festival (www.kinderzeche.de) |
Dinkelsbühl |
| Aug |
Summer Festival (historical boatmen's competition, carnival rides,
beer gardens; www.muenchner-volksfeste.de)
|
Munich
|
| Aug 15 |
Feast of the Assumption (religious festival, closures) |
Bavaria
|
| Aug |
Musikfest am Ring (rock, pop, jazz, world music; www.ringfestkoeln.de) |
Köln |
| Late Aug
|
Fall Horse Races (www.baden-galopp.de) |
Baden-Baden
|
| Late Aug |
Great Wine Festival
|
Cochem (Mosel River) |
| Aug 31-Sept 2 |
Imperial City Festival (historical celebration, fireworks)
|
Rothenburg (Bavaria)
|
| Throughout Sept-Oct |
Various Wine Festivals (weekends) |
Rhine River region, including Bacharach & St. Goar |
| Sept 20-
Oct 5 |
Oktoberfest (beer tents, parade, carnival games, and rides; www.oktoberfest.de) |
Munich
|
| Oct 3 |
German Unification Day (national holiday, closures)
|
Germany
|
| Oct 31 |
Reformation Day (celebrates Martin Luther) |
Germany
|
| Nov 1 |
All Saints' Day (religious festival, some closures) |
Bavaria, Black Forest, Mosel & Rhine valleys |
| Nov 11 |
St. Martin's Day (children go door to door for goodies, like trick-or-treating) |
Bavaria |
| Late Nov- Dec 24 |
Christmas Markets |
Nürnberg, Berlin, Köln, Frankfurt, Rothenburg, Munich,
Würzburg & more |
| Dec 25 |
Christmas |
Germany |
| Dec 26 |
St. Stephen's Day (religious festival) |
Germany |
