What's on in Germany: Nine unmissable events this August
August 1st -3rd:
Berlin Brettspiel ('Board Game') Con
Start the month with some friendly competition at
Berlin Brettspiel Con
, one of Europe's largest gatherings for board game enthusiasts.
Held at the Estrel Convention Centre, the get together features new releases, classics, indie prototypes and family favourites.
There are also tournaments, giant free-play areas, and the chance to stock up on your favourites.
Throughout August:
Bayreuther Festspiele
('Bayreuth Festival')
The Bayreuth Festival Theatre in Bayreuth, Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann
For opera lovers, August is all about Bayreuth.
The legendary Bayreuther Festspiele in Bavaria draws fans of Richard Wagner from around the world to its unique hilltop theatre. Expect cutting-edge productions and musical perfection in the only opera house built to Wagner's specification.
August 6th – 10th:
Open Flair Festival
in Eschwege, Hesse
A cult (and family) favourite, the Open Flair Festival in Eschwege majors in rock, punk and indie acts alongside poetry slams, cabaret, and art.
The lakeside location and relaxed vibe make it a summer highlight—perfect for those seeking great live music in a family-friendly setting.
Open Flair is one of dozens of music festivals taking place around the country in August. In Schleswig-Holstein, heavy metal heads will be raising a glass to deceased Black Sabbath front man Ozzie Osbourne at
Wacken Open Air
at the beginning of the month.
MS Dockville
takes place in Hamburg in the middle of the month.
READ ALSO:
Months of disruptions ahead as Berlin-Hamburg railway closes for construction
Masses have gathered in front of the main stage in the evening at the Open Flair festival. Photo: picture alliance / dpa-tmn | Paul Ripke
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At the end of August,
Berlin Atonal
combines electronic music and immersive visual art in a stunning, post-industrial space.
August 13th –17th:
Weindorf Rothenburg ob der Tauber
in Rothenburg, Bavaria
Raise a glass at the Weindorf, Rothenburg's beloved wine village festival. Local winemakers set up stalls beneath the towers of this perfectly preserved medieval town on Germany's Romantic Road.
Sip Franconian specialties, enjoy hearty regional fare, and unwind to live music as the sun sets over the cobblestones.
August 13th –-30th:
Tanz im August
, Berlin
Tanz im August transforms Berlin into a global centre for contemporary dance.
READ ALSO:
Eight art galleries you have to visit in Germany this year
Over two weeks, Germany's capital city hosts international stars, experimental groups, and innovative productions across venues like HAU and Radialsystem. From dazzling solos to daring large-scale works, this festival is a must-visit for anyone who believes in the power of dance to tell a story.
Image from the 'Some thing folk' performance to be included in the Tanz im August event in Berlin. Photo: Cullberg / Ligia Lewis | Some Thing Folk
August 20th – 24th:
Gamescom
, Cologne
Gamers, mark your calendars! Towards the end of August, Cologne welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors to the world's biggest video game trade fair.
Test the latest releases, join e-sport tournaments, spot your favourite streamers, and get exclusive peeks at what's coming next in the gaming world. Expect giant halls, cosplay, esports, and pop culture energy on overload.
August 21
st
– 25
th
:
Sandkerwa Folk Festival
in Bamberg, Bavaria
These days, the Sandkerwa is one of the largest folk festivals in Bavaria, offering five days of celebration in the narrow streets of Bamberg amidst the romantic atmosphere of Little Venice. Think riverside beer tents, colourful folk parades, traditional music, and the lively Fischerstechen ('fishermen's jousting') on the Regnitz.
READ ALSO:
Five of Germany's busiest tourist attractions and where to go instead
Each year, over 200,000 people gather to (re)discover Franconian beer, specialities, music, dancing and traditional garb. Puppet stages, concerts and fishing competitions are also on the agenda this year, alongside an impressive fireworks display.
August 23rd –24
th:
Open Days of the German Federal Government
, Berlin
Ever wanted to walk through the corridors of power?
The Open Days of the German Federal Government open up rare public access to the chancellery, ministries, and other government buildings in Berlin.
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Explore the inner workings of Germany's democracy, quiz ministers and policy experts, and enjoy hands-on children's activities and live performances.
August 30
th
:
Kölner Lichter
, Cologne
Kölner Lichter, with Cologne Cathedral in the background, last took place in 2019 and makes its return this August. Photo: picture alliance/dpa / Henning Kaiser
Prepare to be dazzled as the Kölner Lichter lights up the Rhine. After a five-year pause, Cologne's legendary fireworks event returns, synchronizing dramatic pyrotechnics with music. Arrive early to find a good spot on the banks of the river!
August 29th – 31st:
Museumsuferfest Frankfurt
, Frankfurt am Main
Round off the month on a high at Museumsuferfest, Frankfurt's lively weekend of arts, food, and music along the Main river.
READ ALSO:
In which German cities can you swim in the river?
This art and culture event takes its name from the
Museumsufer
, the nickname given to the banks of the river due to the large number of museums located there. For the occasion, museums on the northern and southern banks of the Main keep their doors open late into the night.
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Ozzy Osbourne fans in Birmingham honor heavy metal star – DW – 07/30/2025
Thousands of fans lined the streets of Birmingham to say farewell to Ozzy Osbourne. The "Prince of Darkness" died just weeks after his final gig. Thousands of people gathered in the UK city of Birmingham on Wednesday to honor the "Prince of Darkness" and Black Sabbath frontman. The hearse carrying Ozzy Osbourne made its way through the crowd-lined streets of the city where he grew up and where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968. Osbourne died at the age of 76 on July 22, just weeks after a final gig to a sold-out crowd. He had been in poor health, having been diagnosed with Parkinson's a few years earlier. Osbourne once said he wanted his funeral to be a celebration and not a "mope-fest." Today was a mix of sadness and celebration, as crowds chanted "Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi, oi, oi." A 16-year-old fan, Fan Reece Sargeant the the AFP news agency, "I think it was important to come and pay our respects.... Ozzy and Black Sabbath really put Birmingham on the map." Long-time fan Antony Hunt said it has been an "emotional" day." "What's amazing is there's so many, such a wide variety of age groups, from little, little children, teenagers to people in their 60s, 70s, so it's great to see that," he said. Birmingham Mayor Zafar Iqbal praised Osbourne as a "son of Birmingham" and "more than a music legend." Graham Croucher, a 58-year-old train driver, said Osbourne was an "absolute legend" and "was the soundtrack particularly to my life growing up." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Osbourne's hearse, topped with flower arrangements, made its way through the city's streets. Led by a live brass band, the procession went past his childhood home in the city's Aston area, down Broad Street and to the Black Sabbath bench. The art installation was unveiled in 2019 and sits on a bridge also named after the band. Osbourne's wife, Sharon, and children, Kelly, Jack, Louis, and Aimee, followed in vehicles behind. The family was visibly emotional as they got out on the bridge to lay flowers and read some of the tributes left by fans. The procession led by police motorcycles then continued its journey to a private funeral service. Black Sabbath is widely credited for popularizing the sound of heavy metal, and Osbourne was known for his legendary antics both on and off stage. Black Sabbath had huge commercial success in the 1970s and 80s, going on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide. In June, Ozzy and his Back Sabbath bandmates Terence Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward were awarded the Freedom of the City in recognition of their services to the city of Birmingham. They played their final farewell show in early July to 42,000 fans in Birmingham, with the Prince of Darkness on a black throne.
Int'l Business Times
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Thousands Honour Ozzy Osbourne At UK Hometown Funeral Procession
Thousands lined the streets of UK city Birmingham on Wednesday to pay an emotional farewell to hometown hero Ozzy Osbourne as the heavy metal hellraiser was laid to rest. Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne, who earned the nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" and once bit a bat while on stage, died on July 22 at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019 and died 17 days after playing a final gig to a sold-out crowd in Birmingham. Osbourne's funeral procession set off at around 1200 GMT on a route planned with the rocker's family through the English city. Chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!" could be heard, with one fan crying out "we love you Ozzy!" as his coffin -- sitting in a stately black Jaguar hearse topped with flower arrangements -- and other vehicles crawled by. The procession, which earlier passed the star's childhood home in the city's Aston area, was accompanied by a live brass band performance by local musicians from Bostin' Brass. Fan Reece Sargeant came with friends to say goodbye. "I think it was important to come and pay our respects.... Ozzy and Black Sabbath really put Birmingham on the map," he said. The 16-year-old told AFP the band's last concert had been "out of this world". Osbourne famously once said he wanted his funeral to be a celebration of his life and not a "mope-fest". The procession paused at the Black Sabbath bench -- an art installation featuring headshots of each member on a bridge also named after the band. Visibly emotional family members including his widow Sharon Osbourne laid flowers at the bench and read some of the written tributes that have been left there along with balloons and flowers. Thousands of fans have gathered at the bridge in recent days, mourning the death of the musician who was instrumental in pioneering heavy metal. The cortege, led by police motorbikes, then continued its slow journey towards a private funeral service. "Ozzy was more than a music legend - he was a son of Birmingham," Zafar Iqbal, the lord mayor of the central English city, said in a statement. "It was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral. "We're proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began," Iqbal, who could be seen hugging family members when the procession stopped in central Birmingham, added. Black Sabbath enjoyed huge commercial success in the 1970s and 80s after forming in Birmingham in 1968. Their eponymous 1970 debut album made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records, including their most famous song "Paranoid". The group went on to sell more than 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. Osbourne was added for a second time last year as a solo artist. Osbourne gained notoriety for his outlandish stunts, many fuelled by his legendary indulgence in drugs and alcohol. In 1989, he was arrested for drunkenly trying to strangle his wife Sharon, which he once mentioned in a 2007 interview. His live performances at the height of his hedonism have gone down in rock folklore, particularly the 1982 gig in the US city of Des Moines when he bit a bat on stage. Osbourne said he thought a fan had thrown a rubber bat onstage, and it was not until he took a bite that he realised it was real. Family members including widow Sharon Osbourne laid flowers and read fans' tributes AFP The hearse travelled over Black Sabbath bridge where thousands of fans have left tributes since the heavy metal legend died on July 22 AFP The group sold more than 75 million albums and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 AFP
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Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76 – DW – 07/23/2025
Heavy metal pioneer Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76 after fighting Parkinson's disease. His records as a member of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist sold over 100 million copies. John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne, the frontman of English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 76. Nicknamed the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal," Osbourne is largely credited with founding the heavy metal genre. Though he parted ways with Black Sabbath in 1979 over his drug and alcohol addictions, he rejoined the band several times, including for a farewell live performance last month.
