The travellers guide
Are you ready for 2026 yet? There are many reasons to come and visit us in Berlin over the coming year, but some of the best are the extraordinary collection of events that are taking place in our home city. From world-class festivals to experimental music, innovative fashion and international sport, there is so much going on we thought we’d better put some of our favourites in one place to help you plan your next trip.
Our selection pulls together some famous events and others less well known, and all of them are easy to access from The Circus thanks to Berlin’s fine public transport system. So if any of these grab your attention, then book your tickets, sort out your stay with us, and we’ll see you in Berlin in 2026
The year opens with a festival that showcases Berlin’s reputation for cutting-edge culture. CTM Festival 2026 presents its 27th edition under the theme “dissonate <> resonate.” This pioneering experimental music festival occupies legendary venues including Berghain, Radialsystem and Volksbühne Berlin across ten days of concerts, club nights, and audiovisual performances.
Dates: 23 January to 1 February
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In its 76th edition, the Berlinale has long cemented its status as one of the world’s Big Three film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice. This colossal event screens up to 400 films across multiple sections and attracts more than 20,000 film professionals from 120+ countries, while simultaneously drawing the largest public audience of any film festival worldwide. Keep an eye on The Circus blog for our guide to the festival, including venue and ticketing information.
Dates: 12 February to 22 February
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One of our local favourites, the British Shorts Film Festival is celebrating its 19th year across six venues in the city, including ACUDKino, just a short walk from The Circus across the park. The festival screens approximately 150 short films from the UK and Ireland spanning every genre from comedy to experimental, with tickets at just €10 per screening, and a supporting programme of live music and DJ sets.
Dates: 22 January to 28 January
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In May, Berlin Design Week presents its ninth edition under the theme DESIGN REAL, with special events honouring the fact that in 2026 Berlin celebrates 20 years as a UNESCO City of Design. Over 90 venues including design studios, galleries, agencies and universities open their doors across Berlin for this interdisciplinary festival covering product design, interiors, architecture, strategic branding, and urban planning.
Dates: 14 May to 17 May
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A week earlier, Gallery Weekend Berlin showcases more than fifty galleries in the city. With more than eighty exhibitions featuring artists from over twenty countries and free admission, this is not only a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary art, but a great way to explore the many sides of the city, with participating galleries scattered throughout Berlin. Don’t miss the curate-led art walks and get a feel for the artistic pulse of the city.
Dates: 1 May to 3 May
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Berlin’s massive multicultural street festival attracting more than a million visitors and centres on Kreuzberg-Neukölln, with the main parade on the Sunday wowing the crowds with a spectacular procession featuring more than five thousand performers from 60-75 cultural groups on colourful floats. The four-day festival spreads across the neighbourhood with numerous stages offering live music from Brazilian samba to Afrobeat, and hundreds of food stalls selling cuisine from around the world.
Dates: 22 May to 25 May
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The culmination of Berlin’s Pride Month, the Christopher Street Day parade attracts over half a million participants each year. The parade starts at Leipziger Straße with the closing rally at Brandenburg Gate and is completely free to attend. The parade features elaborate floats with DJs, drag performers, political groups, and corporate sponsors, while the Brandenburg Gate festival area offers multiple music stages spanning Nu Disco to Techno to Schlager
Dates: 25 July
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In September, the best basketball players in the world will land in Berlin for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The tournament will be held at the Über Arena (home to Berlin’s basketball superstars Alba) and the Max-Schmeling-Halle, both of which are easily accessible from The Circus. At the time of writing, qualifiers for the tournament are not confirmed, but Germany as hosts will certainly be there!
Dates: 4 September to 13 September
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One of the fastest marathon courses in the world needs no introduction, and it is fair to say that marathon weekend is one of our favourite weekends of the year as runners from around the world and their support crew descend on the city… and The Circus! As always, we will publish our own guide to the weekend here on the blog, and if you are thinking of joining us and have your place confirmed, then book your room soon. It is easily one of the most popular weekends of the year, with The Circus Hotel and Hostel standing right on the course.
Dates: 27 September
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In March, the ITB is the world’s leading B2B travel travel show, bringing almost six thousand exhibitors from countries around the world. It is only open to trade visitors, many of whom come and stay with us, so if you are planning on attending it would be wise to book your accommodation as soon as possible. This year, the ITB celebrates its sixtieth anniversary and features special events under the motto “Discover the stories behind 60 years of legacy”.
Dates: 3 March to 5 March
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Berlin Fashion Week Winter opens the year and is Germany’s premier fashion platform, emphasising freedom, inclusion, creativity and sustainability. Attracting about 30,000 visitors, the main shows require industry accreditation (B2B only) while the parallel Studio2Retail program offers public access through pop-up stores, exhibitions, workshops and designer studio visits.
Dates: 30 January to 2 February
Website
If you want even more tips and ideas for your visit to Berlin, check out the rest of our Experience Berlin blog or follow us on Instagram.
The Circus App is your ideal travel companion you can take with you, with all the things you need to know about your stay with us and things to see and do in the city. Available for Apple and Android devices.
We also have special deals for those who book their trip to Berlin early or want to stay longer. Check out our special offers page for more details.