Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Germany

Hofbräuhaus musicians, Munich, Germany — The spirit of Oktoberfest lives on year-round in Munich's beer halls.

Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Germany.
This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Germany. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe

2019

July 5–21: Kiliani Volksfest, Würzburg (county fair–type folk festival)

July 12–21: Kinderzeche, Dinkelsbühl (traditional dancing, parades)

July 12–28 (weekends): Kaltenberg Knights' Tournament (huge jousting festival, near Munich)

July 13: Kölner Lichter, Cologne (fireworks and music)

July 19–21: Melt Festival, Gräfenhainichen (electronic music and indie rock, near Wittenberg)

July 19–August 4: Sommerwerft, Frankfurt (theatre and arts festival)

July 21: Klassik Open Air, Nürnberg (series of free classical concerts and fireworks in Luitpoldhain park)

July 26–28: Bardentreffen Nürnberg (world music festival)

August 2–4: International Beer Festival, Berlin

August 3: Klassik Open Air, Nürnberg (series of free classical concerts and firewords in Luitpoldhain park)

August 14–18: Weindorf wine festival, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

August 15: Assumption (Mariä Himmelfahrt, closures in Bavaria and Saarland)

August 22–26: Wine festival, Cochem

August 22–26: Sandkerwa Bavarian folk festival, Bamberg

August 23–25: Museumsuferfest, Frankfurt (music, food, culture)

August 23–September 8: Fall Folk Festival, Nürnberg (rides and costumes in Luitpoldhain park)

August 29–September 7: Rheingau Wine Festival, Frankfurt

August 30–November 3: Ludwigsburg (Baden-Württemberg) Pumpkin Festival

September 6–8: Medieval festival, Selb (on the Czech border, northest of Nürnberg)

September 6–8: Reichsstadt Festival, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (fireworks)

September 11–21: International Literature Festival Berlin

September 20–October 13 (likely): Berliner Oktoberfest

September 21: Rhine in Flames festival, St. Goar (fireworks; nearby towns on the Rhine host the Rhine in Flames earlier in the year; check online for dates)

September 21–October 6: Oktoberfest, Munich (a.k.a. Wies'n)

September 26–October 5: Filmfest Hamburg

September 27–October 13: Cannstatter Volksfest (Oktoberfest in Stuttgart)

October 2–14: Wine harvest festival, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse

October 3: German Unity Day (Tag der Deutschen Einheit; closures)

October 9–20: Berlin Leutchtet (festival of lights)

October 11–13 (likely): Onion Market festival, Weimar

October 16–20: Frankfurter Buchmesse (huge book fair and publishers' convention)

October 25–November 10 (weekends): Halloween in Frankenstein Castle (near Darmstadt)

October 31: Reformation Day celebration, Wittenberg (and closures in some Protestant areas)

October 31–November 3: Jazzfest Berlin

November 1: All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen, closures in southern and western Germany)

November 6: Leonhardifahrt, Bad Tölz (traditional Bavarian religious procession in spa town south of Munich)

November 9: Night of Broken Glass Remembrance Day; anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

November 11: St. Martin's Day (Martinstag) and official start to Karneval season (colorful costumes and revelry in Cologne)

November 14–January 6 (likely): Christmas Garden Berlin (light show in Berlin Botanical Gardens; also held in Dresden and Stuttgart)

November 20: Repentance Day (closures in Saxony)

November 26–December 31: Tollwood Winter Festival, Munich (music, circus, and cultural events performed on Oktoberfest fairgrounds)

December: Christmas markets throughout Germany, particularly in Nürnberg, Munich, Rothenburg, and Freiburg, and Christmas Garden Berlin (light show in Berlin Botanical Gardens)

December 6: St. Nikolaus Day (parades; kids get gifts from St. Nick)

December 24: Christmas Eve (Der Heilige Abend, when Germans celebrate Christmas)

December 25: Christmas Day (closures)

December 26: Boxing Day (closures)

December 31: New Year's Eve (Silvester; fireworks, particularly big in Berlin)

2020

January 1: New Year's Day (closures)

January 6: Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige, volunteers dressed as Three Kings go door-to-door caroling and collecting for charity; some closures)

Through early January: Christmas Garden Berlin (light show in Berlin Botanical Gardens; also held in Dresden and Stuttgart)

January 24–February 2 (likely): CTM Festival, Berlin (electronic / experimental music and art)

January 27: Remembrance Day for the Victims of National Socialism

January 29–February 2 (likely): Montgolfiade Hot-Air Balloon Festival, Lake Tegern (east of Oberammergau, in Bavaria)

February–March: Fasching/Fasnacht (carnival season, balls, parades in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday; Cologne's huge Rosenmontag parade is March 4)

February 20–March 1: Berlin International Film Festival (a.k.a. "Berlinale")

April 3–April 26: Thuringian Bach Weeks, Erfurt

April 10: Good Friday (Karfreitag)

April 10–13: Ostermünde, Travemünde (beach bonfire and other Easter-themed celebrations near Lübeck)

April 11–April 26 (likely): Spring Festival, Nürnberg (rides and costumes in Luitpoldhain park)

April 12–13: Easter Sunday and Monday (Ostersonntag and Ostermontag; closures)

Late April: FestungsLeuchten, Koblenz (sound-and-light show along the Rhine at Ehrenbreitstein fortress; fireworks show on final evening)

April 24–May 10 (likely): Spring Festival, Munich (Frühlingsfestival, the "little sister of Oktoberfest")

May 1: May Day (maypole dances; closures)

May 9–16 (likely): Green Sauce Festival, Frankfurt (street music, green-sauce sampling)

Mid-May–mid-June: Dresden Music Festival (classical music performances)

May 20–29 (likely): Fressgass' Fest, Frankfurt

May 21: Ascension Day (closures)

Late May–early June: Mozartfest, Würzburg

May 29–June 7: Weindorf wine festival, Würzburg

May 31–June 1: Pentecost (Pfingsten) and Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag; closures)

Early June: Handel Festival, Halle

Early June: Meistertrunk Show, Rothenburg (historic play and market, medieval costumes, Biergarten parties)

Early June (3 days): Carnival of Cultures, Berlin (street parade on Sunday)

June 12–14: Luther's Wedding festival, Wittenberg

Mid-June (3 days): Stadtteilfest Bunte Republik Neustadt, Dresden (huge counter-cultural block party celebrating the Outer New Town's tongue-in-cheek status as an independent republic)

June 11–21: Bach Festival, Leipzig

Late June–late July: Tollwood Summer Festival, Munich (concert series, art, street theater)

Late June (3 days): Elbhangfest, Dresden (music, dance, wine)

Late June (3 days): Oberlindenhock, Freiburg (street food, live music)

Early July (3 days): Classic Open Air, Berlin (music on Gendarmenmarkt)

Early July (6 days): Freiburg Wine Festival (local wines, live music)

June 11: Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam, closures in southern and western Germany)

July 18: Kölner Lichter, Cologne (fireworks and music)