The British Berliner
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I’m fabulous and so are you! 10 tips on going to a festival in Berlin.
Summer is amazing. It’s even better in a city like Berlin.
OMG!
The fantastic things that you can do and the places that you can go. I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again, it’s time to get out there and do stuff!
Some time ago, I wrote a post about doing things right NOW instead of leaving it to another day. Yes, there’s a financial crisis going on, yes, things might be a little tight in the budget department, and that is why a city like Berlin, is a city to visit. It’s safe, it’s cheap, and there’s always a lot of stuff going on. So what the heck, do it and come!
Some of those fantastic things are open air events and festivals. A large number of them will either be at a ridiculously low price, or a wonderful price of €00.00!
In fact, in the last fortnight, we’ve had four (4) world international festivals that have taken place in our city.
The Carnival of Cultures or Karneval der Kulturen a brilliant event which ran from 06.06.14 – 09.06.14.
The 22nd Lesbian and Gay City Festival which took place between 14.06.14 – 15.06.14.
Fête de la Musique an open-air street music performance day, which took place all over Berlin, on 21.06.14.
Berlin’s Mardi Gras the 36th CSD – Christopher Street Day Gay Pride festivity, which also took place on 21.06.14.
Now even I can’t be at all places at once so I went to the Carnival of Cultures or Karneval der Kulturen and the Christopher Street Day (CSD) Gay Pride parade, and didn’t someone have a wonderful time? Of course, I did. I’m fabulous and so are you! If you want to go to any of the many interesting and intriguing festivals in Berlin you need to:
1. Make sure you’ve got the right date: You don’t want to be surprised to find that 06.12.14 is the 6th of December when you thought that it was the 12th of June!
2. Take a map of your festival destination: Take the map with you or get the App and put it on your phone! How many times have you and your mates argued because nobody really knows where anything or the meeting point is. Don’t say “outside the station” as many of our train stations have 4 or more exits!
3. Take note of the weather: Berlin isn’t London and our weather is fairly predictable but at the CSD festival yesterday, we had dark clouds in the morning, it got windy in the afternoon, the sun began to shine by the late afternoon and we all took off our jackets and tops, and 3 hours later, we regretted that, as it began to rain heavily! Luckily, I had my umbrella in my bag and shared it with my friends and a random stranger!
4. Make sure that you know how to move around the city and what transport is available or not: Even though I’m The British Berliner and have lived here for yonks, I still fell into that trap of not checking the route. I wanted to go to the CSD festival and meet my friends who I was leading, and automatically went my normal route. Halfway through my journey, I realized that it wouldn’t be the best route at all, as all the transport had been diverted and all the roads were blocked by festival floats, tourists, and seemingly, most of Berlin! Too late. I wasn’t there to meet them and kept my friends waiting, wondering, and slightly worried!
5. Take some snacks: Most places will have food but how many times have you been hungry. I mean really hungry, and there hasn’t been a kiosk or shop nearby, the queue is really long, or you don’t want to move from your “spot” as it’s a nice one, and was difficult to find. Wouldn’t it be nice to take out your sandwich, bag of crisps or biscuits and chew away in the comforting thought that you won’t starve!
6. Take. A. Drink: Don’t mess around with this one. Going to a festival is thirsty work. You need bottles of water so that you don’t get dehydrated from all the shouting, screaming, dancing, and jumping around. You need beer because you are in Germany and German beer is the best. And you need bottles of champagne because you’re fabulous, you’re with your friends, and you want to have a really good time. At the CSD, we had cocktails and champagne galore. Yeah baby!
7. Don’t forget a camera: Take as big as you dar,e or your smart phone, and be the roving reporter. Berliners are enormously cool. They will pose and pout for you. As long as you ask politely. You’ll get some brilliant shots of beautiful people and interesting places.
8. Take a break: It’s all very well going to festivals but sometimes, you need to take a break from all the fun and merriment, so take a break. Halfway through the festival, my friends and I decided to go to a local Asian restaurant as they were quick and cheap. We had a bowl of noodles and a drink. We chatted, freshened up in the bathroom, and made quick phone calls to loved ones or other friends, and then 1 hour later, we joined the festival once again. Refreshed and ready for action!
9. Meet people: Berlin is an informal, tolerant place and the locals are happy to welcome and chat to tourists. Talk to them, open up, compliment the city, compliment them, high-five people. We danced behind the floats. A few years ago, I was actually on the parade float, but that’s another story LOL! We took photos of them and ourselves. We shared drinks, we clinked glasses, and we smiled, and smiled, and laughed!
10. Go out and have fun: Need I say more!
This article is not sponsored and all opinions and the tasty cocktails, cold beers, and sunshine champagne, are my very own! Every week for the months of May and June, I’ll be writing about summer time in Berlin, and what to do when you get here.
Next week, I will be writing about the British National Theatre LIVE production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon.
The next production is A Small Family Business by Alan Ayckbourn coming up at Cinestar Berlin – Original on 03.07.14.
Are you coming?
Watch this space!
Have you been to a summer festival? Are you fabulous?
See you in Berlin.
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47 Comments on “I’m fabulous and so are you! 10 tips on going to a festival in Berlin.”
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Wow – so many festivals and what handy tips you have provided 🙂
Thank you so much guys and for the lovely comments. 🙂 Summer has only just begun LOL and hopefully, the tips are helpful to everyone, including myself!!
Brilliant – so sad to have left, but I’ll be back! Thanks again for taking the time to meet up with me! 🙂
Me too. You would have had an excellent time. 🙂 It was an absolute pleasure to hang out with you and I hope to do the same pretty soon again. Come back n’ visit us!
I will, don’t worry! Can’t wait! Pleasure to meet you too!
Same here!!
Summertime fun! Nothing quite like it eh? Good for you!!! Berlin sure loves a party!!!! Glad to see you’re right in the middle of it all. Enjoy!!!! We saw some coverage on TV and we were trying to spot you..lol!!!
Summertime fun it is LOL! Berlin wrote the book on how to have a good time and if you live here, the only thing to do is to take part! As for myself, I’ll be somewhere on Youtube most likely LOL! Thanks babe. 🙂 🙂
Great photos 😉 Looks like you had a blast!
Thanks very much Cristin. We did! 🙂
Festivals are so much fun and that one you did looks like it was fun!
Yes, you are fabulous!
Thanks babe. 🙂 You’ve got to hand it to Berlin. Our festivals are amazing!
😀
Yes you do honey, u do look fabulous! And Berlin is fab too! I wish I was still there! So jealous… 😛
Many thanks honey. You always look gorgeous too. 😀 Come back! Come back!!
I have not been to a summer festival recently, up until two years ago I would attend the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco every year. It was a two day event and I loved it! Thinking of it makes me miss my home town. 🙂
Great tips for festival going! 🙂
Thanks very much my dear. 🙂 The Treasure Island Music Festival in San Fran (can I say that?), sounds like a blast! ‘Hope you make it to a festival soon.
Of course you can. 🙂 we all call it “The City”, I don’t know why people think we northern Californians are pretentious?! Haha
My lips are sealed. LOL! LOL!
Wow, some locals are half-naked! Crazy! You look fabulous so the rest of people! I wanna make it to Berlin and enjoy one of these insane parties and festivals!
That’s how we roll in Berlin daaaaarling. That’s how we roll! If you’ve got it, you’ve got to flaunt it. And you’re fabulous too so come to Beeeeeeeeeerlin!!
Great suggestions Victoria, you certainly know where all the great parties are. I also love your “wonderful price” 🙂
Totally agree with being careful with those dates, they can cause lots of confusion between us Brits and the Americans.
Thanks very much The Guy. Yeah, “wonderful prices” abound around here LOL! Thank goodness, I’m aware of the date isue but you’d be surprised how many people aren’t. Until it’s too late!
Will be in Berlin late July/early August..looking forward to exploring this great city!
You have certainly started the summer well! This weekend we have Mundial festival in Tilburg, hope to give as many fabulous tips as you have here..:-)
You are very welcome! You will have a fabulous summer. Promise! I haven’t heard of the Mundial Festival but I had a look at the website and it sure looks great. Holland is always a good place to go to for a festival too, and those prices are pretty awesome LOL! I certainly look forward to reading more about it. Send me a link when you do so. Thanks so much for making a comment. 🙂
Will be in Berlin late July/early August..looking forward to exploring this great city!
You have certainly started the summer well! This weekend we have Mundial festival in Tilburg, hope to give as many fabulous tips as you have here..:-)
I look forward to reading it @africanahgirl. Give me a shout when you get here!
OF COURSE the hottest, most ab-tastic guy on here is gay. Thanks a lot >.<
The festival scene seems like absolute madness. Not my cup of tea, but fun to look at the photos 🙂
Totally. The hottest guys are indeed gay. Brilliant when you’re out and about in town with your girlfriends and your gay friends. You can always have a wonderful time knowing that you won’t be hit on AND other people will be jealous when they see a hottie on your arm. Is he with you? Is he not? Keep ’em guessing LOL!
Thanks daaaaarling. 🙂
Great tip to bring a beverage – it’s so easily forgotten!! I wish had attended more festivals in Germany, but that’s all the more reason to visit, right? 😉
Tell me about it Katie. In the excitement of a festival, we take a hat, sunglasses, perhaps a blanket, and that’s pretty much it. Since we’re in Northern europe, we don’t remember the water thing and just assume we can get it, when we need it. Not always so. What a shame that you couldn’t visit as many festivals as you wanted to. Come back soon Katie!
P.S. Thank you for coming by. ‘Hope to see you again. 🙂
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thanks for the information
You’re very welcome! 😀
Can any one explain the theme of this event in berlin
Thanks very much Hamza.
The theme of this article is festvals, diversity and the LGBTQ+, LGBTQA & in German, LSBTTIQ+ community