Wednesday 25 October 2017

Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, October 27th - 31st (including Halloween in Berlin)

Halloween and a Long Weekend

Halloween is on the coming Tuesday, and Germany celebrates! No, not really. Many Germans, even in this age and day of Hollywood movies and candies everywhere, have no idea what's Halloween is. There is, however, a holiday on Tuesday (including a day off in schools, kitas, etc. - the shops are also closed) , because of the Reformation Day - celebrating 500 years to the Lutheran Reformation. 

This opening paragraph is not meant to depress you, but to prepare you, that while there are quite a few nice Halloween activities I have collected, Halloween here is nothing like you might expect/remember from home. 

Most importantly, in some neighbourhoods, people (especially older ones) have not heard of Trick/Treating, and are pretty surprised to see the kids coming, and the kids, on their behalf, also don't come as often as one might expect. In other neighbourhoods, there is a more regular pace of trick-and-treating. 

In Berlin, things are actually more vivid in the 18+ Halloween scene - because no single self-respecting club will pass on the opportunity to have a nice (or a scary...) fancy dress party, right? 

A few of the activities for the whole family: 

  • Every day till Monday (except Sunday of course): scavenger hunt, spooky activities, crafts and light installations in the Das Schloss Shopping centre in Steglitz 

  • Not far from there, the Black Dog comics shop will run its Halloween event on Saturday 
  • One of my favourite Halloween events in Berlin is the party in the Botanical Gardens, on Sunday, between 11:00 and 6 pm. The event features stations with mildly scary (not really) tricks played by our flora-and-fauna-friends, food, pumpkins and a lot of hillarity. 


  • The Hard Rock Cafe on the KuDamm will run their "Lil Monsters Ball", a Halloween-themed brunch for the whole family, on Sunday, 9:30 - 11:30 





  • Children make up in the  Hagendubel on Wilmersdorfer Str on Monday, 3 - 6 pm 
  • The Schönhauser Arcaden Shopping Centre (near the Schönhauser Allee Station) runs crafts and games activities on Friday, Saturday and Monday. On Monday evening, at 6pm, a Halloween Parade, with bands and lots of customised children, will leave the centre and walk through the neighbourhood to Helmholzplatz, where there will be fireworks. 


  • The Bergwerk adventure centre  offers activities on both Monday and Tuesday, including scary route and a scavenger hunt ; on Monday evening, also for adults. 
  •  The Pearl club offers "grownup" parties throughout the weekend, but on Tuesday they will have an event for kids, starting at 2 pm  
  • Halloween in the Tierpark, Tuesday from 5 pm 
  • And in the FEZ on Tuesday from 7 pm 



  • Adults with or Without Children: 
    • The Rope Course in Jungfernheide is organising a fun-run on Tuesday, the Halloween-Run, which features scary stuff as well as a children course. 



  • No Kids: 
    • Every self-respecting club throws a Halloween Party, not necessarily on Tuesday, though. 
    • Berlin's largest Halloween party (according to the organisers, but I believe them) is in the Kulturbrauerei, on Friday and Saturday 
    • The Insel in Treptow will open a spooky weekend with a party on Friday , also in the Duncker

Birgit's Halloween Party

  • At least some places respect tradition: the new craft brewery, Two Fellas, in Pankow, will run a Halloween party on Tuesday, with pairing of candies and beers and costume competition. If Berlimama was not a mama Trick-or-Treating with her kids on that day, I think you'd find her there... 


Furthermore

  • More Funfairs and Street Parties: 


  • Museums and Casltes
    • Every Saturday: workshops for children (from 2:30 onwards) at the Museum of Technology; Every Sunday, 11:00 and 3:00 - guided tour (in German) in the museum; And because the the Reformation Day, there will be children activities also on the 31st 
    • Free admission and activities in the German Historical Museum, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary on Sunday 
    • Workshops for kids ages 8 and up in the Martin Gropius Bau on Sunday, with the Wenzel Hablik exhibition , Sunday, 1 pm 

  • Music: 
    • Every Saturday , 12:00, the "Mighty Wurlitzer" in the Musical Instruments Museum

    • Sports: 
      • A cross-country fun run, including a children course, on Sat/Sun in the area between Potsdam and Berlin

    • Markets and Food: 
      • Fri / Sat / Sun: Wine Festival on Breite Str. in Pankow


      • Message in a Bottle is a new hummus/gallery joint, and on Saturday, there is a Masabaha / Shashuka Brunch. Knaackstr., near the Kulturbrauerei. 
      • Flowmarkt in Maybachufer, on Sunday 
      • Street food market in the Kulturbrauerei 


    Hebrew / Israeli / Jewish Heritage 




    Later in the week...







    About Me






    I offer tours in Berlin as well as write about the city as well as published several books and articles in general. I am always free for writing gigs - travel writing or any other types of writing and research - or of course to show you the wonderful city I live in

    Wednesday 18 October 2017

    Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, October 20th - 22nd




    Furthermore



    • Museums and Casltes
      • Every Saturday: workshops for children (from 2:30 onwards) at the Museum of Technology; Every Sunday, 11:00 and 3:00 - guided tour (in German) in the museum
      • Guided tour for kids and families at the Marmorpalais in Potsdam, Sunday, 2:30 and on Sunday at 3:00, there is a guided tour for kids at the Oranienburg Castle

    • Music: 
      • Every Saturday , 12:00, the "Mighty Wurlitzer" in the Musical Instruments Museum

    • Markets and Food: 
      • Good Food Market, in the Bikini Berlin, Saturday


      • Sat : Georgian food special in Markthalle IX (Georgia like the country, not like the US State) 

      • Sunday: Flowmarkt in the Prinzessinnengarten
      • Street food market in the Kulturbrauerei 



    Later in the week...







    About Me






    I offer tours in Berlin as well as write about the city as well as published several books and articles in general. I am always free for writing gigs - travel writing or any other types of writing and research - or of course to show you the wonderful city I live in

    Wednesday 11 October 2017

    Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, October 13th - 15th



    IGA's Last Weekend

    All good things must come to an end, and in this case, this is the last weekend of the IGA. All kinds of special events are planned for the weekend, but most importantly, on Sunday, adults will pay EUR 10 the whole day. 

    Goodbye, IGA

    IGA - open every day until Oct 15th 
    U5 Kienberg - Gärten der Welt
    Bus 197 or 195, Hellersdorfer Str./ Gärten der Welt and Gärten der Welt)
    Tram: M6 to Brodowiner Ring



    Furthermore

    • More Funfairs and Street Parties: 

      • This is also the last weekend to catch the Oktoberfest in the Zentraler Festplatz, which ends on Sunday. Octoberfest is not only all about beer, it is also about rides, stands and other funfair stuff. The funfair is open daily, from 3 pm, for free (the rides cost money, of course). Wednesday is half-priced day and there are fireworks on Saturday.Transport: Bus X21 or M21 from the U7 in  Jacob-Kaiser-Platz 


      • Another Oktoberfest near the Spandau Citadel, only on Friday and Saturday. 

    • Museums and Casltes
      • Every Saturday: workshops for children (from 2:30 onwards) at the Museum of Technology; Every Sunday, 11:00 and 3:00 - guided tour (in German) in the museum
      • Children tour through the Charlottenburg Castle, Sunday, 3 pm 

    • Music: 
      • A world music festival for the whole family on Saturday and Sunday in the ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof, free admission

      • Musical carousel, with an opportunity to try different instruments, at the Klingendes Museum on Saturday, 10:00 - 12:00
      • Every Saturday , 12:00, the "Mighty Wurlitzer" in the Musical Instruments Museum


    • Markets and Food: 
      • Breakfast Market in Markthalle IX, on Sunday 
      • Nowkoelln Flowmarkt, in Maybachufer, on Sunday 
      • Street food market in the Kulturbrauerei , also on Sunday
      • Also in shopping: a Shopping Sunday in the Forum Köpenick mall (Bahnhofstraße 33 - 38, 12555 Berlin, near the Köpenick train station), with the Stars of Radio Teddy there to entertain the youngsters


    Jewish Heritage: Simchat Torah

    Simchat Torah is on Friday, and there will be events in all of Berlin's synagogues on Thursday (eve) and on Friday. 

    In Fraenkelufer, there will be a children event, from 5 pm on Thursday 






    Education/Schools

    An open day at the private, English-language-only, Phorms-Mitte school, Sat. 11:00 - 2:00 , registration in advance recommended




    For Adults and Teens Only

    The Babelsberg Filmpark starts with a series of horror events in the next few weekend, which will include all kinds of scary interactive fun. Admission is only for 16+ year olds. 

    Fri + Sat 






    Later in the week...







    About Me






    I offer tours in Berlin as well as write about the city as well as published several books and articles in general. I am always free for writing gigs - travel writing or any other types of writing and research - or of course to show you the wonderful city I live in

    Wednesday 4 October 2017

    Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, October 6th - 8th

    Festival of Lights

    The Festival of Lights will start this weekend and will continue until October 15th. Take the kids on one of the evenings, to explore the beautifully-lit buildings 





    Furthermore

    • The Long Night of the Families features many interesting activities for families in many places, on Saturday from 4 pm and until midnight. The list is endless and very exciting - it includes places with a bonfire, shows, craft activities, and even a place that offers "golf in the dark"!  List of participants, on the website. A few examples

      • The Stadtbad Lankwitz will start early with a pool party, that will start at 11:00 and in the Berlin tradition will not end until 22:00 

      • Nature rally/scavenger hunt, in the Tempelhofer Feld, Saturday, 5 pm 

    • More Funfairs and Street Parties: 

      • Kite Festival in the Britzer Gardens, on Sunday (admission fees apply)

      • Autumn Festival in the IGA , Sunday (admission fees apply)
      • Octoberfest: Alexanderplatz (everyday till Sunday) ; near the Spandau Citadel (Fr/Sat) 



    • Museums and Casltes

      • Every Saturday: workshops for children (from 2:30 onwards) at the Museum of Technology; Every Sunday, 11:00 and 3:00 - guided tour (in German) in the museum
      • The Planetarium in Prenzlauer Berg is celebrating its 30th Anniversary, with free admission on Saturday (1pm - midnight) and Sunday (1pm - 7 pm) 

      • Workshop for children aged 6+ about Mexican plants and cuisine, in the Botanical Gardens, Sunday 11:00 - 2:00 
      • Falcons and other birds of prey, on Sunday from 12:00 in the Jagdschloss Grunewald 
      • Tapestry workshop in the Museum of European Cultures, Sunday 2:00 
      • Tour in the Marble Palace in Potsdam with the "Palace Dragon", Sunday, 2:30

    • Music: 
      • Every Saturday  , 12:00, the "Mighty Wurlitzer" in the Musical Instruments Museum
      • Children concerts at the Deutsche Oper, on Sunday 

      • Sports
        • Does your daughter want to play hockey? The Eisbären, Berlin's main Ice Hockey team, is having an open day for girls on Saturday. Hockey boys, do not despair, on the coming Tuesday (October 10th), there is also an open rink for the boys. The club also runs skating courses, so if your enthusiastic child is less than a polished skater, this shouldn't be a problem. 




      • Markets and Food: 

        • Art and antique market in Schlossstr. 55 in Charlottenburg (Villa Oppenheim), Sa + Su 
        • And Flowmarkt, in the Prinzessinnengarten , on Sunday 


      Hebrew / Israeli / Jewish Heritage: Sukkoth in Berlin

      A large Sukkoth party in Fraenkelufer (Sunday, 4 pm), with a Klezmer Band, food, activities and much more. 


      •  Another celebration , on Sunday (from 2pm), at the Old People's Home in Charlottenburg 
      • And the Chabad Sukkah is in the Rykestr. courtyard. 




      Later in the week...







      About Me






      I offer tours in Berlin as well as write about the city as well as published several books and articles in general. I am always free for writing gigs - travel writing or any other types of writing and research - or of course to show you the wonderful city I live in