Regular Events

Hamburg is Germany’s music capital; there are so many musicals taking place at the same time that tourists from all over Germany come to Hamburg for a musical trip.
The most successful musical is ”The Lion King”. But “Tarzan" and its wild show or the well-known musical from the film of the same name, "Sister Act", where a couple of nuns bring a church to its knees with the help of a singer. The range of musicals on offer usually changes every couple of years, and the next musical to grace Hamburg’s shores will be "Rocky – The Musical".
                              

A highlight for locals and visitors alike ist he Hamburg Fish Market. Every Sunday morning, the bellows of market criers selling fruit, vegetables, plants, clothing and – of course – fish sound out through the streets. Customers at the Fish Market comprise of early birds who have come to take advantage of the fresh wares on offer but also party-goers who have spent their evening on the nearby Reeperbahn and now need a fish sandwich to end the night. In the Fish Auction Hall, the party continues with live music; others go home with a salmon or a giant planter. No matter what your purpose, there’s something here for everybody.                             

Every year in April you can watch thousands of participants attempt the 42.195 km marathon route through Hamburg. This marathon, which has been taking place regularly since 1986, does not just attract athletes, but also thousands of interested spectators. Here you will also find runners in a range of different costumes.
Before the runners begin, the marathon morning is opened with a different event, where hand-bikers show off their prowess.
Up to a million spectators make the Hamburg marathon one of the largest live events of its kind in the world.
You will find more information about registration, as well as impression and photos of past competitions on the website of the Hamburg Marathon.
                          

Hamburg is a city of film festivals – every year a number of them take place with different focuses:

Filmfest Hamburg: At this film festival there is something for almost every film lover. From well-known films to productions by young up-and-coming German and international directors, it’s all here.

International Short Film Festival Hamburg: Once a year Hamburg’s cinemas are transformed into a true film paradise, where wonderful short film productions are shown several times a day and the best directors awarded for their efforts.

Unerhört Musik Film Festival Hamburg: At this film festival, the focus is on interesting musical and cinematographical compositions. The best film is determined and distinguished by a jury.

Japanese Film Fest Hamburg: Alongside exciting productions from the Far East, at the Japanese Film Festival it’s all about this Asian country, which visitors can find out more about in various workshops, meetings and other events.

International Queer Film Festival Hamburg: This festival is not just one of the highlights of the year for the “queer community”, but also for anybody interested in film or culture.

Fantasy Filmfest: The right place to be for anybody who is a fan of zombies, aliens and horror movies.
                         

Kampnagel was once a machinery factory and today is a venue for cultural performances and musical events. Once a year, the International Summer Festival takes place here, where dancers, theatre groups and musicians can show off their prowess. You will find more information on the Kampnagel website.                        

Millions of visitors look forward to the Hamburger Dom every year. “Dom” in German means “cathedral”, but there is nothing saintly about the Hamburger Dom, which is a large funfair held three times at year at the Heiligengeistfeld in St. Pauli. Numerous carousels and rides, stands with games or delicious food and a large party tent are a delight for young and old. When the Hamburger Dom is on, it can be seen from almost every corner of the city due to its famous landmark, the giant Ferris wheel. The first Dom of the year is the Spring Dom in March/April, followed by the Summer Dom in July/August and the Winter Dom in November/December.                            

Every May, the streets around Hamburg Harbour are transformed into a giant festival. The festival is to celebrate the birthday of Hamburg Harbour, which was founded on the 7th of May 1189 and can now look back proudly of a more than 800-year history.
One of the annual highlights are the arrival and arrival and departure parades, the “Schlepperballett” or “tugboat ballet” and the awesome firework demonstration on Saturday evening. At the festival grounds, a myriad of stands and booths provide around 1 million visitors with delicious snacks, cocktails, games and giveaways. Live music in the evening also ensures good moods all around.
                          

The Altonale is a large cultural festival in the Hamburg district of Altona. It was inaugurated in 1988 to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Altona Town Hall, although it originally found little public resonance. Today it’s another story altogether: over half a million people find their way to the festival, which comprises of various events from the fields of literature, theatre and film. The highlight is the three-day street festival, the concluding event to the Altonale. Here, visitors can look forward to a number of stages, numerous stands offering culinary delights from around the world, a antiques and flea market and much more.                         

When it suddenly becomes very loud around Hamburg’s inner city and there are suddenly a lot of people walking around in black leather gear, you know that it’s that time again – time for Hamburg’s Harley Days. The Harley Days are an event where motorbike lovers from all over Germany come together in Hamburg to ride down the streets on their impressive machines. There is also a large festival area where you can trade, take a stroll or buy or lease a Harley Davidson. Fascinating shows, live music and parties also attract non-bikers to this great event.                      

Those who pay a visit to Hamburg at the beginning of July might become a little bit confused about the inhabitants of the hanseatic metropolis, who all of a sudden don bell bottoms, giant sunglasses and Flower Power garb, underscored by a loud “Hossa”. When they then see giant crowds and large flats on the streets, they know that they are in the midst of Hamburg’s Schlagermove.

This event, which takes place once a year in the heart of St Pauli, comprises of a parade and numerous “Schlagerpartys”, where traditional German music is played. Today, over half a million people come to the festival to take part in the parade or go to one of the many live acts and Schlager stars putting on concerts around the city.
       

The German Derby is an annual horse racing event at the Horner Race Track in the Hamburg district of Horn. On the first weekend of July, the best of the best come to Hamburg to compete for the coveted trophy. Because every race horse can only win the trophy once at three years of age, the trophy is particularly desirable.
Even those who are not interested in horse racing can have a lot of fun here: if you have a bit of loose change you can have a go at betting and – with a bit of luck – might even win something.

German Derby
Hamburger Renn-Club e.V.
Galopprennbahn Hamburg-Horn
Rennbahnstraße 96
22111 Hamburg
040-6518229
       

The traditional focus of the Christopher Street Day (CSD) is on the rights of the LGBT community. A massive parade and numerous parties point out the discrimination and alienation of these groups, still rampant in our society. Demonstrations, rallies, readings and lectures are also part of the programme. The colourful, unusual parades and floats garner the most public attention for the CSD, which also invites heterosexuals to take part and celebrate.

The CSD has its origins in the well-known uprising by homosexuals and sexual minorities in New York on the 28th of June 1969. Today there are parades all over Germany in June, July and August, including Hamburg’s Christopher Street Day.
     

Once a year, Europe’s largest river island is transformed into the site of a music festival. Every August at the Dockville, the Hamburg district of Wilhelmsburg unites a wide range of musical genres and visual arts, attracting many visitors to Hamburg’s south. The first time the festival was staged, in 2007, there were about 5000 at the festival; in 2011 this number was at 20,000. The Hip Hop, Rock, Pop and Indie acts here are perfect for those who don’t think much of mainstream music. Acts like MGMT, The Whitest Boy Alive, The Klaxons and Metronomy are just some of the acts who have played here in the past. The Dockville Festival is unique, as festival-goers can either stay in the city and travel to the festival every day, or camp on site, with room for up to 8000 campers.     

Hamburg is a sports city: large sporting events take place here regularly, which encourage spectators to cheer and take part. One of these is the Vattenfall Cyclassics. This one-day cycle race takes place every summer for professionals and amateurs alike. Professional athletes have to endure a 250km route that takes them through the city and its close surroundings. The goal is the Mönckebergstraße shopping mile, where thousands of visitors wait every year to cheer for the arriving cyclists. Taking place parallel to the professional race is the amateur race, where anybody can race down routes of varying length (starting at about 55km) and let themselves be cheered on and motivated by spectators. Interested participants must make sure that they register in time.
Spectators waiting at the finish line can expect a colourful programme with music and numerous stands and booths.
   

Those in Hamburg at the end of August or beginning of September can look forward to a lively hustle and bustle and loud music all around the Inner Alster. At this time every year, the area around the Inner Alster and Jungfernstieg transforms into a massive party area. For more than 30 years, the biggest party in Hamburg’s inner city has been a centre of attractions for thousands of locals and visitors alike. Musical and sporting events, fireworks and the smell of crepes and bratwurst are a joy for young and old.    

This three-day music event gives young artists the chance to show their stuff, transforming Hamburg’s Reeperbahn every September into a colourful array of different concerts, representing a myriad of musical genres. Alongside live music, there is also a second focus on art, with different comic, film and street artists complementing the musical programme. Plan your visit to the Reeperbahn Festival and enjoy this unique atmosphere.

  

Colourful lights, Christmas markets and the smell of mulled wine, cinnamon and roasted almonds – these things are just an integral part of any German Christmas as Christmas trees and presents.
Numerous Christmas markets open up in Hamburg every November and December, audibly increasing the heart rate of many young Christmas enthusiasts. A myriad of stands with delicious food and Christmasy drinks, but also handicrafts and wonderful gift ideas attract visitors. Mulled wine is the number one choice for many Christmas market attendees, especially on cold evenings.
Alongside the classic German Christmas markets there are also a number of smaller events in museums and churches, where there is a range of homemade wares, baked goods and organic products on offer.
You will find more information about Hamburg’s Christmas markets at the approach of Winter.