Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MAY DAY/MYFEST
May Day demonstrations in Berlin used to be riotous affairs with heavily armed police
and leftist groups facing off against each other in the district of Kreuzberg, complete
with flying stones and burning cars. Although an official 'Revolutionary May Day'
demonstration still draws as many as 15,000 people of an anti-capitalist, anti-fascist
persuasion, the event has been considerably more peaceful in recent years. This is
partly due to an enormous police presence and partly because of an alternative,
largely unpolitical festival called Myfest that's been held in Kreuzberg since 2003. It
runs all day from noon to midnight. The actual Revolutionary May Day demonstration
starts at 6pm at Lausitzer Platz. RevolutionaryBerlin Tours
(
www.revolutionaeresberlin.wordpress.com
)
runs English-language walking tours
about the history of the May Day Riots.
June
Festival season kicks into high gear around the summer solstice with plenty
of alfresco events, thanks to a rising temperature gauge.
Berlin Biennale
This biennial curated forum for contemporary art explores international trends and invites
newcomers to showcase their work around town for about eight weeks
(
www.berlinbiennale.de
)
. Next in 2016.
Fête de la Musique
Summer starts with good vibrations thanks to hundreds of free concerts during this global
music festival (
www.fetedelamusique.de
)
that first came online in Paris in 1982. Held each
year on 21 June.
Christopher Street Day
No matter what your sexual persuasion, come out and paint the town pink at this huge pride
parade (
www.csd-berlin.de/en
)
featuring floats, often decorated with queer political state-
ments and filled with naked torsos writhing to loud techno music.
