Open Air Festival ©Adobe Stock (Zamrznuti tonovi)

Inspiring Germany

8 tips for a summer of festivals: where to follow the rhythm

There's lots going on at Germany's summer festivals, some of which are huge. Excited faces, good vibes and plenty of music – from electro to reggae to hip-hop. Not forgetting art and relaxation, either.

MS Dockville, Hamburg: music or art? Why 'or'? And!

Artist performing on a creatively decorated and lit stage at the MS Dockville Festival, with the audience in the foreground. Dockville Festival ©Mediaserver Hamburg (Jörg Modrow)

This four-day summer festival not only combines the urban industrial charm of Hamburg's harbour landscape with natural elements such as the waters of the Elbe and wild meadows, but also music (indie, pop, electro) with art (sculptures, installations). It's exciting to see how much visitors can get involved with – in workshops, readings and on a number of festival stages, which feature an above-average number of young and local artists.


SonneMondSterne Festival, Thuringia: something happening day and night

Large crowd celebrating in front of a brightly lit stage at the SonneMondSterne Festival at night. Sun-Moon-Star-Festival ©Thüringer Tourismus GmbH (Swen Reichhold / Visionauten)

Want to dance the night away to fast beats? At the SonneMondSterne Festival– 'SunMoonStars' in English, and SMS for short – you can. One of the biggest music festivals for electronic dance music (okay, with some rock and pop as well): by night, laser shows appear bright beneath the moon and stars; by day, the festival looks gorgeous bathed in sunlight by the picturesque Bleiloch dam. The campsite is divided into 'loud' and 'quiet'. Sounds heavenly, right?


World Club Dome, Frankfurt: techno's come to town

DJ performing on stage in front of a massive crowd in the stadium at the World Club Dome in Frankfurt, surrounded by glowing phones. World Club Dome ©Big City Beats GmbH;BigCityBeats GmbH (Julien Duval)

Show me the numbers! Over three days, Frankfurt's football stadium is transformed into a 700,000-square-metre party arena where 250 artists on 25 stages, from club style to the main stage, bring 180,000 visitors to dancing bliss. The organisers even call it the 'biggest club in the world'! Those who just can't get enough of intense techno, trance, rap, future bass and more will also enjoy the offshoot events – from the 'Pool Sessions' to the 'Island Edition'.


Nature One, Rhineland-Palatinate: the perfect lift-off

Aerial view of the NatureOne Festival at night with lit stages and a large crowd. Nature One ©Nature One

The magnificent landscape of the Hunsrück, where the festival takes place at the beginning of August on a former missile base, is certainly unique. In addition to nature, the festival boasts another highlight: the (electro) music performed by top DJs and underground artists, alongside spectacular light shows. Around 350 acts and over 65,000 spectators make this event, held since 1995, one of the largest electronic music festivals in Europe.


Electronic Wine, Koblenz: wine and fast beats – a great combination

Aerial view of the Electronic Wine Festival in Koblenz at sunset, with crowds at the Deutsches Eck and ships on the Rhine River. Electronic Wine in Koblenz ©Koblenz-Touristik GmbH (Janko.Media)

Under the motto 'Everything happens for a Riesling', well-known DJs from near and far will be playing at the Koblenz Wine Festival , proving that hot electro beats and cool wines are the perfect match. And so at the top of the German Corner, in addition to the line-up of artists, you'll also find the so-called Wine Up of wineries. There's something to suit every taste! Good to know: things get quieter after midnight, when the music is only played through headphones.


Parookaville, North Rhine-Westphalia: an airport turned party city

Crowd in front of the spectacular main stage at Parookaville Festival with fireworks and flames. Parookaville ©Julien Duval (Julien Duval)

It's not just Ryanair planes that fly to Weeze – electronic music fans flock there, too. At least, when the fictitious town of Parookaville , complete with a town hall, post office and (very free) church, comes to life on the airport grounds in mid-July. A record-breaking 225,000 visitors then dance themselves into the party mood to the tunes and (light) shows of over 100 DJs and other acts. Several campsites offer space for relaxation, with some even boasting a whirlpool and sauna.


Summerjam Cologne: full on offbeat party beat

Large 'Summerjam' sign on a floating platform in the lake at the Summerjam Festival Summerjam Festival ©summerjam.de (Felix Weischenberg)

Of course, the ultimate dream location for all reggae fans is Jamaica – Bob Marley sends his regards. However, Cologne, or more precisely the idyllic Fühlinger See, is a close second – at least for three days in July, when it welcomes Europe's largest reggae festival . The two stages also play dancehall, dub and hip-hop. But perhaps the best thing of all is its relaxed atmosphere, be it on the campsite, at the bazaar or in the chill-out area.


Splash!, Saxony-Anhalt: hip-hop hooray

Cheering crowd at the Splash! Festival, surrounded by confetti and bright stage lights. Splash! Festival at Ferropolis ©IMG Sachsen-Anhalt (Stephan Flad)

If you like hip-hop, you'll love this festival . Last but by no means least, Germany's biggest hip-hop party takes place on the Ferropolis peninsula every July. With top acts from Germany and around the globe, hot rhythms and cool beats are guaranteed. There are also graffiti workshops for spraying and beach volleyball courts for digging. The gigantic bucket wheel excavators that once mined coal here are no longer active, but they still provide an incredible industrial backdrop.

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