11 unmissable events happening around Germany in May 2025
numerous public holidays
, May can often feel like the unofficial start of summer in Germany:
Beer garden season
begins, the long daylight hours can bring renewed energy to your social circle, and a spate of spring festivals are fully underway.
If the dazzling blue skies are making you itch to get out and about - or even escape to a different part of the country - here are some of the biggest and best events to know about.
May 1st: May Day, throughout Germany
To ensure we all start the month feeling rested, May is due to kick off with a nationwide public holiday. In Germany, May 1st marks both
Maitag
(May Day) and
Tag der Arbeit
(Labour Day), combining charming folk traditions on the one hand with rowdy demonstrations for better workers' rights.
In Berlin's Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district, you can expect to see people setting up sound systems in local parks and drinking in the streets, or heading to day parties at legendary nightclubs like About Blank and Berghain. However, there are
also numerous political marches and demos
, such as the
"Mach dich stark mit uns!"
demo set up by the union DGB, and the Antifa-led
"Revolutionäre 1. Mai"
.
Elsewhere in the country, you can find street parties and open stages, as well as public demonstrations in honour of the labour movement.
If traditional festivals are more your thing, look out for local May Day celebrations in your area, including the age-old custom of dancing around the maypole.
READ ALSO:
Germany's most bizarre May 1st traditions
May 2nd - 11th:
Liberation of Europe Week
, Berlin
In the lead up to Victory in Europe Day on May 8th, and for a few days afterwards, the German capital is hosting numerous events commemorating the Second World War and its victims. This year, more than 100 such events are happening around the city, including exhibitions, guided tours, film screenings and theatre productions.
Advertisement
At the opening of the memorial week on May 2nd, composer Marc Sinan will present the world premier of his oratorio
'Befreiung'
(Liberation) at the Akademie der Künste on Pariser Platz. The famous square next to the Brandenburg Gate will also host an open-air exhibition exploring for the full week with the title: '...finally peace?', exploring themes of war and liberation.
On May 8th, the German capital will celebrate a special public holiday in honour of Victory in Europe Day, marking the 80th anniversary since Nazi Germany was defeated by the allied forces.
May 3rd: Rhine in Flames festival, Bonn
Every year between May and September, villages, castles and hills along the Middle Rhine Valley light up overnight in five dazzling firework displays. The first takes place this year on May 3rd in Bonn, and it's bound to be a spectacle to remember.
To admire the valley bathed in a sea of light and colour, it's best to arrive early and select a prime spot near the river or in Bonn's historical Old Town. For a truly unforgettable experience,
you can book a boat trip
to gaze at the fireworks while cruising along the river with a glass of wine in hand.
Onlookers watch the Rhine in Flames fireworks from the Niederwald Memorial in Rüdesheim, Hesse. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Andreas Arnold
May 8th:
Mushroom Church
, Berlin
If you've never heard of mushroom music, you're probably not the only one - but fungi-loving composer Tarun Nayar has made it his life's work. Under his artist name Modern Biology, Nayar has gone viral online with his other-worldly soundscapes, which he bases on the bioelectric changes in mushrooms and plants.
In the atmospheric setting of Berlin's
Passionkirche
, Nayar is set to take audiences on a journey of sensory and intellectual discovery this May, presenting his ambient music alongside poetry, colourful projections and a short scientific talk.
Whether you become a devoted fan of the fungal arts or not, this promises to be a fascinating and memorable foray into the floral kingdom.
READ ALSO:
How to maximise your public holidays like a German this May
May 9th to 11th:
Hafengeburtstag
, Hamburg
For almost half a century, Hamburg has been celebrating its beloved port with a joyous celebration known as the
Hafengeburtstag
(Harbour Birthday), and this year, the harbour is turning 836. Over the years, the event has grown into the largest port festival in the entire world, celebrating the sea, the Hanseatic city, and its rich maritime past.
Advertisement
Over a long weekend from Friday to Sunday, visitors to Hamburg can admire elegant parades on the harbour, featuring historic tall ships and imposing naval vessels, as well as luxury cruise liners.
Along the Elbe River, you can enjoy a packed roster of live music stages and food markets, as well as plenty of family-friendly attractions, exhibitions and tours of the grandest sailing ships. On Saturday evening, the harbour will also be lit up in a majestic firework display.
May 11th to 18th:
International Dixieland Festival
, Dresden
Europe's oldest and largest Dixieland jazz festival takes place each year in Dresden, making the Saxon capital something of a mecca for music fans.
This year, 350 artists from around the world will be performing in open-air concerts and riverboat parties, as well as in concert halls and theatres around the city.
The undoubted highlight, however, is the bombastic Dixieland Parade on Saturday, which kicks off at the Carola Bridge and weaves along the river into the Old Town.
Musicians take part in the annual Dixieland festival parade in Dresden Old Town. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Schäfer
May 16th - 17th:
Die Blaue Nacht
, Nuremberg
It may seem like an unusual concept, but over the years,
die Blaue Nacht
(Blue Night) has become a cult event in Nuremberg. Every year, the scenic Franconian city sees its Old Town bathed in blue light, creating a surreal nocturnal atmosphere.
On the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this year's
Blaue Nacht
will be themed "Love and Peace" - a motif inspired by the colourful hippie era with its advocacy of global peace and harmony.
Advertisement
Celebrating the best of Nuremberg's rich cultural life, around 50 museums, galleries, church and theatres are set to stay open late on Saturday night with special performances and exhibitions.
These include the KunstKulturQuartier and the reopened Künstlerhaus, as well as the the City Archive, the Kunstbunker, the Kreis-Galerie and the Deutsches Museum.
Ten art installations from the
Blaue Nacht
art competition will be on display for two days starting on Friday.
May 17th - 24th:
Green Sauce Festival
, Frankfurt
For a full week in May, the Hessian capital will be embarking on a vibrant celebration of its most iconic culinary creation:
Frankfurter Grüne Soße
. This tangy green sauce is a source of pride for Frankfurt residents, and tends to accompany all manner of dishes, from
Schnitzel
to beef brisket.
During the Green Sauce Festival, local restaurants and chefs will be competing to see who produces the most delectable herbal concoction. Each night, 650 guests will gather in the Hausener Brotfabrik to sample seven delicious sauces, served with traditional eggs and potatoes as well as a variety of local beers, ciders and apple wines.
READ ALSO:
9 incredible foods you have to try while visiting Frankfurt
At the end of each evening, guests will vote for their favourite, with the top seven facing off against each other in a grand finale on May 24th.
Along with the best of regional cuisine, the sampling of the sauces will take place in a lively atmosphere, complete with local musicians, magicians and other family-friendly entertainment.
Advertisement
May 17th - June 14th:
Dresden Music Festival
, Dresden
For nearly five decades, the Dresden Music Festival has brought world-class classical, jazz, and world music to one of Germany's most historic cities.
Under the theme of "Horizons", this year's event is set to be bigger and more diverse than ever, drawing renowned orchestras, soloists, and ensembles from across the globe to perform in multiple venues throughout the cities, from the cavernous
Frauenkirche
to intimate baroque salons.
A musician from the Dresden Music Festival orchestra practises his clarinet before a workshop concert at the Palais im Großen Garten in Dresden. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Oliver Killig
Highlights this year include the thrilling and unpredictable
'music festival meets circus theatre'
evening at the Circus Tent on the Elbufer, where circus performers enter into a unique artistic dialogue with world-class jazz and classical musicians, as well as
a children's adaption of Richard Wagner's The Ring Cycle
and the exhilarating open-air event,
'Dresden sings and makes music'
on the Brühlische Terasse.
May 28th - June 9th:
Weindorf Wine Festival
, Würzburg
It may be a small city, but over the years the annual 'Weindorf' festival in Würzburg has developed a big reputation. From late May to early June, residents set up their 'wine village' in the historic market square next to the Marienkapelle to celebrate the best local foods and the rich wine-growing culture in Upper Franconia.
Around 100,000 visitors flock to Würzburg each year for the festival, so it's worth booking a table in advance at one of the seating areas hosted by local restauranteurs and hoteliers. This year, around 100 Franconian wines are available from 30 different vineyards, with more than 100 regional dishes to sample alongside them.
READ ALSO:
Everything that changes in Germany in May 2025
Advertisement
May 29th: Ascension Day, throughout Germany
Germany is set to have another public holiday at the end of May, capping off a month of incredible events. Ascension Day - or
Christihimmelfahrt
in Germany - is a Christian celebration marking Jesus' ascension to heaven, and churches around the country will be holding special services.
In a rather different tradition, May 29th also happens to be
Vatertag
(or Father's Day): a wild occasion when men take to the streets lugging carts of beer and see who can get the drunkest throughout the day.
For most people, however, it is simply another free day off work - and, if you're savvy enough, the chance to book off a
Brückentag
on Friday the 30th and enjoy a four-day weekend.
READ ALSO:
Why Germans get wholly wasted on Ascension Day
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
21 hours ago
- DW
Germany's strangest laws: Why dancing can get you fined – DW – 08/12/2025
From dance and movie bans on religious holidays to prohibitions on sandcastle building on Baltic beaches, Germany has some bizzare regulations. Germany can appear relatively laissez-faire compared to other countries. It's still possible to smoke in some bars and sunbathe nude in public parks, while 16-year-olds can legally drink beer or wine — the age limit is 21 in the United States. But Germany is also heavily regulated — especially on Sundays and public holidays. From dancing bans to sandcastle building edicts and enforced silence on public holidays, the German rule book is also full of quirky, often outdated laws. In most of Germany's 16 states, Good Friday is regarded as a "silent public holiday" where, since the middle ages, dancing has been forbidden. The capital Berlin has a relatively liberal approach to the dancing ban, or "Tanzverbot," which only happens from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Good Friday. But in the southern, largely-Catholic state of Bavaria, the prohibition runs for 70 hours from Maudy Thursday till Saturday. Penalties for those who violate the law can be as high as €10,000 ($11,600). Many other noisy activities are forbidden on this day of silence and religious observance, including car washes, rummage sales and moving house. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Meanwhile, some 700 movies have been banned during silent public holidays in various German states. Among those listed under the "Public Holiday Index" are films such as "Ghostbusters," the seemingly harmless 1975 cartoon classic "Heidi" and Monty Python's 1979 religious satire, "Life of Brian." But Germans have continued to demand their right to dance during the Easter period, and routinely protest the ban. Meanwhile, since 2013, an initiative in the city of Bochum in the west German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has held a public screenings of "Life of Brian" in protest against the rule. It's illegal to pick mushrooms in the forest at night in Germany, mainly to stop people disturbing nocturnal wild animals. It's also illegal to remove wild garlic at the roots for your pestos and soups. That's because wild garlic, which grows in damp, shady forests and thrives in floodplains, can be easily confused with toxic plants such as lily of the valley. Picking a hand bouquet of wild garlic leaves for personal use is generally allowed without a special permit in Germany. But uprooting the plants with their bulbs or picking leaves in nature reserves is verboten! Children cannot build sandcastles on many beaches on the holiday islands off the North Sea and Baltic Sea coast of Germany. As families flock to the ocean, the kids can swim but can't construct monuments out of sand or dig deep holes without risking a €1,000 fine. Building a sandcastle on islands like Sylt are banned for good reason: All the digging and movement of sand can lead to beach erosion. The Baltic resorts of Binz and Sellin on the island of Rügen allow sandcastles but a maximum height of 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) and a circumference of 3.5 meters (11.5 feet). To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Starting up the lawnmower or even using power tools on a Sunday in Germany will earn you the wrath of your neighbors — and potentially the police. The tradition of, or quiet time, still reigns supreme on a Sunday that was long set aside for families and religious observance. Generally, you are prohibited from using all motorized garden equipment, including lawnmowers, on Sundays and even public holidays. Those who want to make a racket could be fined. The Sunday silence extends to the streets, with the or "Shop Closing Law," a federal German law in place since 1956, banning retail stores of all kinds from opening their doors on Sundays and public holidays. While individual states have been given more leeway to make their own rules since 2006, Sunday shopping remains largely a no-go throughout the country, bar a few designated Sunday shopping days each year and very limited exceptions for certain shops. That's right, it's an offence to get stuck on the freeway in Germany when the fuel runs out. In car-crazy Germany, drivers who don't adequately fill their tank before heading out on the Autobahn are regarded as negligent. They can therefore be fined for putting themselves and other drivers in danger as vehicles ironically roar past on highways without speed limits. Stopping on the Autobahn is only allowed during emergencies.
DW
a day ago
- DW
Strange German laws – DW – 08/12/2025
From dance and movie bans on religious holidays to prohibitions on sandcastle building on Baltic beaches, Germany has some bizzare regulations. Germany can appear relatively laissez-faire compared to other countries. It's still possible to smoke in some bars, sunbathe nude in public parks, while 16-year-olds can legally drink beer or wine — the age limit is 21 in the United States. But Germany is also heavily regulated — especially on Sundays and public holidays. From dancing bans to sandcastle building edicts and enforced silence on public holidays, the German rule book is also full of quirky, often outdated laws. In most of Germany's 16 states, Good Friday is regarded as a "silent public holiday" where, since the middle ages, dancing has been forbidden. The capital Berlin has a relatively liberal approach to the dancing ban, or "Tanzverbot," which only happens from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Good Friday. But in the southern, largely-Catholic state of Bavaria, the prohibition runs for 70 hours from Thursday till Saturday over Easter. Penalties can be as high as €10,000 ($11,600). Many other noisy activities are forbidden on this day of silence and religious observance, including car washes, jumble sales and moving house. Meanwhile, some 700 movies have been banned during silent public holidays in various German states. Among those listed under the "Public Holiday Index" are films such as "Ghostbusters," the seemingly harmless 1975 cartoon classic "Heidi" and Monty Python's 1979 religious satire, "Life of Brian." But Germans have continued to demand their right to dance during the Easter period, and routinely protest the ban. Meanwhile, since 2013, an initiative in the city of Bochum in the west German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has held a public screenings of "Life of Brian" in protest against the rule. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video It's illegal to pick mushrooms in the forest at night in Germany, mainly to stop people disturbing nocturnal wild animals. It's also illegal to remove wild garlic at the roots for your pestos and soups. That's because wild garlic, which grows in damp, shady forests and thrives in floodplains, can be easily confused with toxic plants such as lily of the valley. Picking a hand bouquet of wild garlic leaves for personal use is generally allowed without a special permit in Germany. But uprooting the plants with their bulbs or picking leaves in nature reserves is verboten! To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Children cannot build sandcastles on many beaches on the holiday islands off the North Sea and Baltic Sea coast of Germany. As families flock to the ocean, the kids can swim but can't construct monuments out of sand or dig deep holes without risking a €1,000 fine. Building a sandcastle on islands like Sylt are banned for good reason: All the digging and movement of sand can lead to beach erosion. The Baltic resorts of Binz and Sellin on the island of Rügen allow sandcastles but a maximum height of 30 centimeters and a circumference of 3.5 meters. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Starting up the lawnmower or even using power tools on a Sunday in Germany will earn you the wrath of your neighbors — and potentially the police. The tradition of, or quiet time, still reigns supreme on a Sunday that was long set aside for families and religious observance. Generally, you are prohibited from using all motorized garden equipment, including lawnmowers, on Sundays and even public holidays. Those who want to make a racket could be fined. The Sunday silence extends to the streets, with the or "Shop Closing Law," a federal German law in place since 1956, banning retail stores of all kinds from opening their doors on Sundays and public holidays. While individual states have been given more leeway to make their own rules since 2006, Sunday shopping remains largely a no go throughout the country, bar a few designated Sunday shopping days each year and very limited exceptions for certain shops. . That's right, it's an offence to get stuck on the freeway in Germany when the fuel runs out. In car-crazy Germany, drivers who don't adequately fill their tank before heading out on the Autobahn are regarded as negligent. They can therefore be fined for putting themselves and other drivers in danger as vehicles ironically roar past on highways without speed limits. Stopping on a highway is only allowed during emergencies.
DW
6 days ago
- DW
Wim Wenders: Cinema and the 'art of getting lost' – DW – 08/07/2025
As the German auteur turns 80, a retrospective looks at how his global journeys and cinematic vision have been shaped in part by the beauty of losing his bearings. For Wim Wenders, getting lost is not a failure but a form of bliss. "When you're lost, you really abandon yourself and you there," he tells DW. For over five decades, the German filmmaker has invited audiences to lose themselves in his films that drift through unfamiliar landscapes and quiet emotional spaces. As Wenders turns 80 this August, the Bundeskunsthalle in the western German city of Bonn is presenting a major retrospective exhibition that showcases his expansive body of work — including film, photography, etchings and writing — all revolving around the enduring theme of what it means to move through the world. Movement for Wenders was never just about distance — it was about discovery. Born in Düsseldorf in 1945, near the end of World War II, he grew up in a city almost entirely reduced to rubble. At the exhibition's launch, Wenders — who often refers to himself as a traveler — recalled the surreal contrast between postwar Germany and the distant places he discovered through his grandfather's encyclopedia and his father's newspapers. "That was a huge discovery for me and that was the driving force of my life. The world was better. I always wanted to know everything about it … If I had stayed home, I wouldn't be here," he told DW. That childhood yearning to explore laid the foundation for a creative career spanning continents and genres. Wenders began making films in the 1970s, emerging as a key figure in the New German Cinema movement alongside fellow filmmakers Werner Herzog and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. His road movie trilogy — "Alice in the Cities," "The Wrong Move" and "Kings of the Road" — explores one of his central themes: people in motion, emotionally and physically, searching for connection or belonging. His international reputation was cemented by "Paris, Texas" (1984), a haunting exploration of loss and redemption set in the American Southwest. The film follows a man who emerges from the desert with no memory and embarks on a journey to reconnect with his young son. Now considered a classic, it earned Wenders both the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the BAFTA for Best Director. The 1987 film "Wings of Desire" features angels — one of Wenders' favorite motifs — floating above a divided post-war Berlin, observing life below until one falls in love with the human world. It reportedly inspired the 1998 Meg Ryan-Nicholas Cage film "City of Angels," though some critics felt the remake did a disservice to Wenders' original. More recently, "Perfect Days" (2023), a quiet character study set in Tokyo, follows a janitor whose simple routines reveal joy, isolation, and the sacredness of daily life. The film won Koji Yakusho the Best Actor award at Cannes and was selected as Japan's official entry for the 2024 Oscars. That same year, Wenders released "Anselm," a 3D documentary portrait of German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer — his contemporary, born three months apart. "Every film is a journey," Wenders once said, "not just physically, but a journey toward understanding something." And what is a journey without a soundtrack? Music has always played a crucial role in Wenders' work. A standout example is the Oscar-nominated "Buena Vista Social Club" (1999), in which he traced the story of aging Cuban musicians rising from obscurity to global renown. The Grammy-winning album of the same name not only sold over 8 million copies worldwide, but it also re-drew worldwide interest to traditional Cuban music. Wenders has even directed music videos, including U2's "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)." Beyond film, Wenders has long been a prolific photographer, known for stark images of abandoned spaces, overlooked corners, and long, silent roads. His photography reflects his filmmaking, focusing on emptiness, stillness, and the dignity of space. Meanwhile, Wenders' own explorations continue. In addition to several trips to China, he has finally checked India off his bucket list. "I traveled through India for four weeks. I still haven't [been] to Patagonia, one of my earliest dreams ... I have never [been to] Antarctica [or] the North Pole. I've avoided cold zones. I know all the warm parts of the planet, but not all the cold ones," he joked to DW. Wenders also recalls — almost wistfully — the pre-digital era, when getting lost deliberately in new cities was possible. "In all the big cities of the world, I tried to get lost when I got there for the first time. And when I managed to get lost, I think I really understood the city — but only then." With GPS on every phone and maps everywhere, truly getting lost feels rare — making it all the more important to Wenders. "When you're lost, you see," he told DW. "If you have your map and you know your way, you don't see as much as when you're lost." As the exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle opens, one doesn't need to be a Wenders fan to be drawn in. His work speaks to anyone who has ever felt out of place or longed for something more. His stories remind us that by getting lost, we may discover new ways of seeing — not just the world, but ourselves.
