7 events across Germany you won't want to miss this February
From fancy festivals to street samba, we've found the best events to lighten up your February.
1. The Night of the Jumps, Berlin, February 4th - 5th
Photo: DPA
“The excitement that every driver feels before a jump exchanges unfiltered into the audience," say the organizers of The Night of the Jumps. While the rest of Germany can offer high culture and traditional festivals, this event provides something completely different: adrenaline.
It's billed as an evening of spectacular jumps and aerial acrobatics on motorbikes, and takes place in the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on the 4th and 5th.
The drivers fly through the air, taking part in different events such “highest air”, and “Whipcontest”, and of course an event like this wouldn't be complete without a huge firework display.
2. The Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
Photo: DPA
After the colourful and vibrant opening of the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg's new concert house has a lot to live up to in its first full month. With one of the best cellists in the world, Yo-Yo Ma, already having hit the stage at the end of January, it certainly hasn't disappointed so far.
With pianists Anna Vinnitskaya (Feb 8th) and Mitsuko Uchida (Feb 23rd) on the line up this month, there is still much to come.
3. Carnival in Cologne, Düsseldorf and other western cities
Photo: DPA
Having started at 11:11am on November 11th, the festive period of Karneval has been going for a while in Germany. However the four-month festival draws to a close in February on Ash Wednesday. For all who don't know this season, it's traditions are quite bizarre!
The week of celebrations start with Weiberfastnacht, or Fat Thursday, this year falling on February 23rd. Originating in Bonn, it is tradition that the women “take back” the town - women symbolically storm the town hall and cut off the ties of the men, leaving them with a small kiss as compensation. The whole event is even shown live on television!
Photo: DPA
For the rest of the week there are many processions and marches where different groups can create a float or a performance and take part in the festival. Much of the town dresses up, painting their faces and taking to the streets in celebration.
The biggest city for carnival is undoubtedly Cologne, where they spend over €2 million on the week of celebrations, and give away 700,000 bars of chocolate and 300,000 bunches of flowers to spectators.
In some areas of the Rhineland they take the religious aspect of the week much more seriously, burning a straw man in order to take away all of the sins committed over the course of carnival season.
4. Berlin International Film Festival, February 9th - 17th
Meryl Streep led the jury in 2016. Photo: DPA
Tired of the same old, same old from Hollywood? Looking for some original, interesting films? Look no further than the Berlinale, one of the world’s most notable film festivals.
This year, the 67th festival is running from the 9th to the 17th of February. It will, as always, offer a wide range of movies, from independent and art house productions to some international premieres (T2 Trainspotting is a particular highlight), and everything in between.
With 20,000 professionals arriving from 122 countries, half a million attendees expected and a reputation to die for, you can bet your horses the Berlinale will be an experience to remember.
5. Magritte Exhibition at Frankfurt Schirn Kunsthalle, February 10th – June 17th
Photo: DPA
Does 2017 feel surreal to you? Embrace it with an exhibition of the famous 20th century Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte arriving in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt's Schirn Kunsthalle is hosting an exhibition under the patronage of German Federal President Joachim Gauck and the Belgian King. In fact, the same exhibition has just been showing in Paris at the Pompidou Centre, where it proved very popular. One for the culture vultures.
6. Bremen Samba Festival, February 17th- 18th
Photo: DPA
Weather got you down? Lacking colour in these wintry days? What better antidote than Bremen’s Samba festival, a two-day bonanza of dancing and exuberance.
Every year since 1986 Bremen’s city centre has been filled with dozens of samba groups from around Germany and beyond, and up to 40,000 spectators. As well as the massive parade on Saturday lunchtime there’s also a kids’ carnival, dancing long into the night and a masquerade ball to round it all off.
The theme this year is ‘wonders of the world’ - expect to be dazzled. If you’re looking for something a bit different, here’s your ticket. After all, as the organisers themselves say, the masks are supposed to signify how extraordinary and individual each of us is, breaking with the everyday.
7. Bonn Video Arts Festival, February 17th - April 2nd
The Museum of Art, Bonn. Photo: DPA
February also sees the opening of one of Germany’s less well-known events: the biennial Bonn Videonale festival of video arts.
Held since 2005 in Bonn’s Museum of Art, the festival has among its highlights a competition between old hands and young up-and-comers in a fierce battle for the €5,000 top prize.
But it’s not all about the money. With plenty of discussion of modern video art trends, alongside lectures, performances, presentations and more, this is a fusion of artistic talent not to be missed.
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1. The Night of the Jumps, Berlin, February 4th - 5th
Photo: DPA
“The excitement that every driver feels before a jump exchanges unfiltered into the audience," say the organizers of The Night of the Jumps. While the rest of Germany can offer high culture and traditional festivals, this event provides something completely different: adrenaline.
It's billed as an evening of spectacular jumps and aerial acrobatics on motorbikes, and takes place in the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on the 4th and 5th.
The drivers fly through the air, taking part in different events such “highest air”, and “Whipcontest”, and of course an event like this wouldn't be complete without a huge firework display.
2. The Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg
Photo: DPA
After the colourful and vibrant opening of the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg's new concert house has a lot to live up to in its first full month. With one of the best cellists in the world, Yo-Yo Ma, already having hit the stage at the end of January, it certainly hasn't disappointed so far.
With pianists Anna Vinnitskaya (Feb 8th) and Mitsuko Uchida (Feb 23rd) on the line up this month, there is still much to come.
3. Carnival in Cologne, Düsseldorf and other western cities
Photo: DPA
Having started at 11:11am on November 11th, the festive period of Karneval has been going for a while in Germany. However the four-month festival draws to a close in February on Ash Wednesday. For all who don't know this season, it's traditions are quite bizarre!
The week of celebrations start with Weiberfastnacht, or Fat Thursday, this year falling on February 23rd. Originating in Bonn, it is tradition that the women “take back” the town - women symbolically storm the town hall and cut off the ties of the men, leaving them with a small kiss as compensation. The whole event is even shown live on television!
Photo: DPA
For the rest of the week there are many processions and marches where different groups can create a float or a performance and take part in the festival. Much of the town dresses up, painting their faces and taking to the streets in celebration.
The biggest city for carnival is undoubtedly Cologne, where they spend over €2 million on the week of celebrations, and give away 700,000 bars of chocolate and 300,000 bunches of flowers to spectators.
In some areas of the Rhineland they take the religious aspect of the week much more seriously, burning a straw man in order to take away all of the sins committed over the course of carnival season.
4. Berlin International Film Festival, February 9th - 17th
Meryl Streep led the jury in 2016. Photo: DPA
Tired of the same old, same old from Hollywood? Looking for some original, interesting films? Look no further than the Berlinale, one of the world’s most notable film festivals.
This year, the 67th festival is running from the 9th to the 17th of February. It will, as always, offer a wide range of movies, from independent and art house productions to some international premieres (T2 Trainspotting is a particular highlight), and everything in between.
With 20,000 professionals arriving from 122 countries, half a million attendees expected and a reputation to die for, you can bet your horses the Berlinale will be an experience to remember.
5. Magritte Exhibition at Frankfurt Schirn Kunsthalle, February 10th – June 17th
Photo: DPA
Does 2017 feel surreal to you? Embrace it with an exhibition of the famous 20th century Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte arriving in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt's Schirn Kunsthalle is hosting an exhibition under the patronage of German Federal President Joachim Gauck and the Belgian King. In fact, the same exhibition has just been showing in Paris at the Pompidou Centre, where it proved very popular. One for the culture vultures.
6. Bremen Samba Festival, February 17th- 18th
Photo: DPA
Weather got you down? Lacking colour in these wintry days? What better antidote than Bremen’s Samba festival, a two-day bonanza of dancing and exuberance.
Every year since 1986 Bremen’s city centre has been filled with dozens of samba groups from around Germany and beyond, and up to 40,000 spectators. As well as the massive parade on Saturday lunchtime there’s also a kids’ carnival, dancing long into the night and a masquerade ball to round it all off.
The theme this year is ‘wonders of the world’ - expect to be dazzled. If you’re looking for something a bit different, here’s your ticket. After all, as the organisers themselves say, the masks are supposed to signify how extraordinary and individual each of us is, breaking with the everyday.
7. Bonn Video Arts Festival, February 17th - April 2nd
The Museum of Art, Bonn. Photo: DPA
February also sees the opening of one of Germany’s less well-known events: the biennial Bonn Videonale festival of video arts.
Held since 2005 in Bonn’s Museum of Art, the festival has among its highlights a competition between old hands and young up-and-comers in a fierce battle for the €5,000 top prize.
But it’s not all about the money. With plenty of discussion of modern video art trends, alongside lectures, performances, presentations and more, this is a fusion of artistic talent not to be missed.
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