© dpa
© dpa
© dpa
Berlin presents its most colourful side: At the Carnival of Cultures, numerous groups of diverse nationalities present music, dances, performances, visual arts and acrobatics at a parade of moving floats.
On four festival days, Berliners and tourists experience the capital from its best side: cosmopolitan and international, dynamic and full of life, diverse and colorful. Over 500,000 people have been celebrating the city's colorful mix every Whitsun since 1995.
The parade of the Carnival of Cultures (German: Karneval der Kulturen) will take place on May 24, 2026. This year’s route for the Carnival of Cultures parade will once again run along Frankfurter Allee and Karl Marx Allee. It starts at 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Frankfurter Allee, Proskauer Straße, and Niederbarnimstraße. It will finish at the Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee.
But it’s not just the parade itself that’s worth a visit - the street festival around Blücherplatz also invites you to discover the diversity of cultures. From May 22 to 25, a diverse program will be presented on several stages. There will be theater, performances, interactive activities, and enchanting attractions. Visitors will also find information booths from sustainable businesses and initiatives, a solar craft station, organic crêpes, and other treats. With hundreds of booths offering arts and crafts, culinary delights and information, there’s no way you’ll get bored at the festival. An age-appropriate program is available for families with children.
Over 5000 performers from almost every corner of the globe are usually involved. From Brazilian samba to Chinese lion dances, from West African drums to Bernese carnival brass bands, the carnival groups impressively prove that Berlin's treasure is its diversity and internationality. In addition to the four-day street festival, the parade is the highlight of the carnival.
In 2026, Berlin’s clubs will once again host numerous Carnival parties, such as at Gretchen, Maaya Club, and Navra Lounge. Ritter Butzke will once again host its traditional, free open-air afterparty. To celebrate the Carnival of Cultures, many participating parade groups will also hold their own parties before and after the Carnival.
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