Wednesday, 25 January 2017

Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Jan 27th through 29th

The Green Week

The Greek Week is a huge international food and agricultural fair. The fair takes place annually at the Messe and includes many unique food stands as well as the opportunity to check out new ideas, products or inventions. There are also many activities for kids. 

Admission applies
Messe (Public Transport: Messe Sued, Messe Nord or Kaiserdamm)  
Daily until January 29th 



The Green Weeek (credit Wikipedia) 

Magical Week at the FEZ

The FEZ are opening the "Magic Castle" on Saturday (and until Sunday, February 5th). The activities will include and magician school, a quidditch tournament and much more. 

FEZ, on Straße zum FEZ 2, 12459 Berlin 
Public Transport: take the S3 to Wuhlheide or trams 27, 63 or 67 to Freizeit- und Erholungszentrum. Admission fees apply 


Furthermore

    • Many of the shops will be open on Sunday (usually from 1 till 6), as part of a special Verkaufsoeffenen Sonntag
    • Hashomer Hatzair will have a Peula on Sunday afternoon (details: dikla@hashomer.de)
    • Saturday and Sunday: Exhibition in the MACHmit! Museum for Children about Swedish children books ; and exhibition about building at the Labyrinth Children's Museum 
    • Saturday afternoon: workshops for the whole family at the Museum of Technology 
    • Saturday, 2 pm: Arabic/Persian calligraphy workshop for older kids, at the Ephraim Palais
    • Guided tour for families in the Pergamon, Sunday 11:30 
    • Guided tour for families in the Marmorpalais, Sunday 2:30 


              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 January 2017

              Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Jan 20th through 22nd

              The Green Week

              The Greek Week is a huge international food and agricultural fair. The fair takes place annually at the Messe and includes many unique food stands as well as the opportunity to check out new ideas, products or inventions. There are also many activities for kids. 

              Admission applies
              Messe (Public Transport: Messe Sued, Messe Nord or Kaiserdamm)  
              Daily until January 29th 



              The Green Weeek (credit Wikipedia) 


              In the past few years, several alternative events have also developed, by a coalition of environmental activists, the Slow Food Movement, farmers' rights groups etc. This weekend will also see the Wir haben es Satt! (we've had enough!) Demonstration, which will focus on protest against industrialised agriculture and food conglomerates by presenting alternatives, talks, stands and also just - Berlin style - partying. Among the events:


              • Friday, 6 pm onwards: "Schnippeldisko", dancing and talking while cutting and eating vegetables deemed by food conglomerates to be not attractive enough to end up on the shelves. At ZK/U - Zentrum für Kunst und Urbanisitik, Siemensstraße 27, 10551 Berlin-Moabit 
              • Saturday, 8 - 10 am : Farmers' Breakfast in Markthalle IX 
              • And Saturday all day, the Wir haben es Satt happening in Potsdamer Platz


              Moscow Circus on Ice

              A small circus troupe will entertain kids in the Tempodrom on Sunday (with two shows, at 2 pm and 6 pm). This is a mixed review. To be honest, as a mother of a child who's a huge skating enthusiast, I was really looking forward to this one and even went to another city to see them as a Christmas treat for her. I was a bit disappointed. It might be the stage in the other city which was very small (visibility was not that great for people who did not purchase the first rows, accordingly), Tempodrom in that sense is better - you can see well from almost anywhere in the Tempodrom (although as usual, more expensive tickets are better...)

              However, there are all kinds of skating tricks and acrobatics, the kids certainly enjoy, including my companion. Thankfully, also no animals forced on ice - it is a human-only circus. If you go, look up Groupon - there are cheaper (half priced) tickets there. 

              Moscow Circus on Ice
              Tempodrom, Sunday 2 pm and 6 pm 







              Furthermore

              • Nature and Animals: 
                • Torchlight tour in the Zoo Aquarium, Friday at 6:15 pm 
                • Tour for the whole family in the Britz Gardens, Sat 2 - 4 pm and also on Sunday, 10 am.   
              • Music and concerts: 
                • The highly recommended Clown Concert at the Philharmonie, Saturday 3:30 pm (details)
                • Musical workshop for kids aged 6 and up at the Klingendes Museum, Saturday 3 pm (details)
                • Concert/opera for children with a puppet theatre as well, Sunday, 11:00, Komische Oper
              • Museums: 
                • Saturday and Sunday: Exhibition in the MACHmit! Museum for Children about Swedish children books ; and exhibition about building at the Labyrinth Children's Museum

                • Saturday afternoon: workshops for the whole family at the Museum of Technology; a guided tour on Sunday at 11:00 

                • We're Building a Mars Rover! - crafts in the afternoon at the Archenhold Observatory, Sat. 2 pm  (details)

                • Family brunch with an opportunity to see an exhibition at the Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle , Sunday 11:30 - 3 pm 

                • A workshop around the Robert Doisneau exhibition, Sunday 1 - 3 pm (details)

                  • A guided tour for children aged 6 to 12 at the Gemaeldegalerie, Sunday 2 pm 

                  • A guided tour for children in the Charlottenburg Palace, Sunday 3 pm ; and at the same time - a textile workshop for kids in the Oranienburg Castle

                • Open days in the Phorms private schools: On Thursday afternoon at the Mitte branch (details) and on Satuday at the Zehlendorf one, Harry-S.-Truman-Allee 3 14167 Berlin (details) 


                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 January 2017

                Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Jan 13th through 15th

                Children! At the Disco

                Huxley's is offering on Saturday a roller disco for children, from 2 pm. There will be DJs, food stands and much more. After the children disco (2 until 7 pm) there will be adults disco, from 8 pm. Profits will go to a homeless shelter for families. 

                Roller Disco for children, Huxleys
                Saturday, from 2 pm
                Address : Hasenheide 107 – 113, D-10967 Berlin
                Transport : U7/8 Hermannplatz


                Roller Disco in Huxleys


                Another place to dance is at the FEZ, which is celebrating winter with shows, indoor playground, crafts, activities, children make-up and much more. 



                Sat/Sun 12:00 - 6:00pm

                FEZ, on Straße zum FEZ 2, 12459 Berlin 
                Public Transport: take the S3 to Wuhlheide or trams 27, 63 or 67 to Freizeit- und Erholungszentrum. Admission fees apply (EUR 3/head or EUR 10/family) 


                Jewish Heritage

                • Hashomer Hatzair are meeting on Sunday afternoon! For kids aged 7 and up, tri-lingual (details : dikla@hashomer.de  ) 

                Furthermore

                • Saturday, all day: a tournament in indoor football (soccer) with the "veteran" players from Hertha, Union, etc. at Max Schmelling Halle  
                • Bird-watching for the whole family, Sat 9-12:30 (details) ; another nature walk for the family on Sunday, 2 - 4 pm (details)
                • Museums and Palaces:
                  • Saturday and Sunday: Exhibition in the MACHmit! Museum for Children about Swedish children books ; and exhibition about building at the Labyrinth Children's Museum
                  • Saturday afternoon: workshops for the whole family at the Museum of Technology ; Sunday at 2 pm: a guided tour families in the exhibitions (both in German)
                  • "Who will be the Bean-King?", a guided tour for children in the Koenigs Wuesterhausen Palace, ending with coffee (or apple juice) and cake. If you'd find the bean in your cake, you'd be crowned as the Bean King (or Queen...). Saturday, 2 pm (details)
                  • Who brought chess to Europe? And how was it played? And many more chess questions in the guided tour for kids aged 6 to 12, at the Pergamon. Sunday 11:00 (details) ; also on Sunday at 11:00 - a guided tour in the Museum of Natural History
                  • A workshop around the Robert Doisneau exhibition, Sunday 1 - 3 pm (details)
                  • The Humboldt Box offers a workshop for kids about magnetism, Sunday 2 pm (details) ; also at 2 pm : a guided tour for children at the Maerkisches Museum
                  • A guided tour in the Marmorpalais in Potsdam, with the "Palace Dragon", for kids aged 5 to 10, Sunday, 2:30 PM (details)
                  • A guided tour for children in the Charlottenburg Castle, for kids and guided by local teens (details)
                • Breakfast & Vinyl Market in Markthalle IX , Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm



                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 January 2017

                Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Jan 6th through 8th


                Winter Party in the FEZ

                The FEZ is celebrating winter with shows, indoor playground, crafts, activities, children make-up and much more. 



                Sat/Sun 12:00 - 6:00pm

                FEZ, on Straße zum FEZ 2, 12459 Berlin 
                Public Transport: take the S3 to Wuhlheide or trams 27, 63 or 67 to Freizeit- und Erholungszentrum. Admission fees apply (EUR 3/head or EUR 10/family) 


                Furthermore

                • Friday, 6:15 pm: A torchlight tour in the Zoo Aquarium
                • Sports: Fri/Sat "Cup of Berlin 2017", a synchronised skating competition, at Sportforum Hohenschoenhausen (tickets)
                Cup of Berlin 

                • Classical Music for Kids: 
                  • Concert for children: Peer Gynt for children, at the Philharmonie. Sat, 3:30 pm 
                  • Trying out instruments at the Klingendes Museum on Sat, 3:30pm (details)
                  • Ballet: The Nutcracker, in the Tempodrom, Sun 3pm  
                  • Opera: Peter Pan, at the Komische Oper, Sun 4pm 
                The Nurcracker

                • Sunday from 2pm: No Pants Subway Ride, also in Berlin, starting from the Frankfurter Allee Train Station and taking the U5 



                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, 28 December 2016

                Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Dec 30th - January 1st including NYE

                New Year's Eve (Silvester)

                They call it Silvester and it is the craziest night of the year. If this is your first NYE in Berlin, this is what to expect: 
                • Everyone can buy tons of fireworks
                • Consequently, explosions everywhere
                • Plus parties and lots of alcohol
                And if this does not sound like your kind of fun, especially with a baby/toddler or book somewhere as rural as possible (as this noise will be in all major cities). 

                There are of course so many options of things to do in Berlin itself: 

                • From 6pm : NYE for the whole family in the Spandau Citadel, with fireworks at the end 
                Fireworks in the Spandau Citadel


                Hanukkah

                In general


                • Candles and menorah can be bought in Judaica stores (e.g. Levy's in Hackescher Hoefe), or home-made, free ones (albeit pretty simple) are given by Chabad
                • Sufganyot can be of course purchased as Pfannkuchen in every bakery, but for home-made upgraded ones, Yuval Belans offers a variety of interesting combinations (details)



                Yuval Balens' Sufganyot



                Seventh Candle, December 30th 

                • Menorah lighting at the Oranienburger Str Synagogue at 3:30 pm 
                • The "Rainbow Jews Chavurah" will light a GLBT and children friendly Menorah at 5pm, with crafts and food (details :  jonathan.rafael.balling@gmx.de )


                Furthermore

                • NYE fun runs: In the Grunewald (details); in the Plaenterwald on the 31st (details)





                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, 21 December 2016

                Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Dec 23rd - 26th and all the way to the 29th, including Hanukkah

                Christmas Markets during and after the Holiday



                • Until January 1st: Winter World in Potsdamer Platz
                • Alexanderplatz: On the 24th till 4pm 
                • Breitscheidplatz (Europa Centre): Until January 1st On the 24th till 2pm, on the 25th/26th from 1 till 9 pm 
                • Charlottenburg Palace : 12 to 8pm on the 25th/26th (closed on the 24th, the 26th is the last day)
                • Opernpalais: Until January1st, on the 25th/26th 11.30 - 9pm, closed on the 24th 


                Other Christmas-Related Events

                • Every year, fans of Berlin's football (soccer) club FC Union are joining together to sing hymns and spread happiness. A very impressive event, Friday 23rd, at 5pm, in the Stadion Alte Foersterei (details)



                • Another tradition, this time highly commercialised, is the Coca Cola Christmas Truck. They come on the 23rd, from 2pm, to the Brandenburg Gate and


                Hanukkah

                In general


                • Candles and menorah can be bought in Judaica stores (e.g. Levy's in Hackescher Hoefe), or home-made, free ones (albeit pretty simple) are given by Chabad
                • Sufganyot can be of course purchased as Pfannkuchen in every bakery, but for home-made upgraded ones, Yuval Belans offers a variety of interesting combinations (details)



                Yuval Balens' Sufganyot



                First Candle, December 24th

                • Lighting in Pestalozzistrasse, from 4pm 
                • Lighting the candles, singing and eating at the Fraenkelufer Synagogue, from 4:30pm 
                • Lighting in Bleibergs, from 6pm (details)
                • Party (as in clubbing) at midnight and onwards: Knusperhouse in Ritter Butzke (details) 



                Second Candle, December 25th 

                • Menorah lighting in Alexanderplatz (near Galeria Kaufhof, between the department store and the 200 bus station) , 6pm 




                Third Candle, December 26th
                • A guided tour for children in German: "Plätzchen, Latkes, Kerzenschein", about the two holidays. Organised by Stattreisen (not sure how it is) 2pm near the Bode (details)
                • Chanukkah on Ice - at the Ice Stadium in Wilmersdorf , from 6:30 pm



                Fourth Candle, December 27th 

                • The annual tradition: the big Menorah lighting in Brandenburg Gate , starting at 6:30 pm



                Fifth Candle, December 28th

                • At 6:30 pm: a special Hanukkah concert with rabbi Walter Rothchild and the Minyan Boys, at the Mendelssohn Remise (details)

                Sixth Candle, December 29th


                • Bubales are back with the Hanukkah puppet theatre! With a Hanukkah party at the Rykestr Synagogue, from 4 pm (please register in advance) 

                Seventh Candle, December 30th 

                While officially in the next week, it has been already announced that there will be a lighting at the Oranienburger Str Synagogue at 3:30 pm 



                Furthermore

                  • The Peter Pan children opera, Komische Oper, Monday 26th , 4pm 
                  • On the 26th, at 10:00, a fun run through Grunewald, costumes preferred! (details)

                  • Every day - Christmas circus in two versions: by Roncalli in the Tempodrom, and the "Berlin Christmas Circus" in the Olympic Stadium (details)

                  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, 14 December 2016

                  Weekend Events for the Whole Family in Berlin, Dec 16th - 18th

                  Fourth Advent - Selected Christmas Markets



                  Only at this Weekend

                  • Sat/Sun: Green Market for a Vegan Christmas, at Agora in Rollberg (details)
                  • Sat/Sun: Weihnachtsrodeo in Postbahnhof (details)
                  • Sun: Wedding Christmas Market, an alternative one, in Leopoldplatz (details)
                  • Sun: A very Yaam Christmas Market, with Reggae etc. (details)
                  • Sunday afternoon, a designer market in the Spreewerkstätten (Am Krögel 2, 10179 Berlin)

                  Also After this Weekend

                      • Till January 1st: Christmas Garden in the Botanical Gardens

                      • Until December 22nd : Historical Fair in the RAW Tempel, with Renaissance Fair artisans and entertainers. Weekdays 2 - 9pm; Fri/Sat 12am - 10pm ; Sundays 12am - 7pm 

                      • Until December 22nd: A historical market in the Mariannenplatz in Kreuzberg 
                      • Until December 23rd : The Lucia Market at the Kulturbrauerei
                      • Until January 1st: Winter World in Potsdamer Platz
                      • Every Friday through Sunday: at the Arena in Treptow 
                      • All Advent weekends: 
                        • Christmas Fair for kids at the FEZ
                        • At the Domaene Dahlem 
                        • At the Ethnological Museum in Dahlem 
                        • At the Späth’schen Baumschulen Nurseries 
                      • Every Sunday: 
                        • Oeko-Markt for Christmas in Kollwitzplatz; 
                        • In the Strandbad Weissensee 
                        • In Unicorn, Brunnenstr 64 


                      Hanukkah

                      • Reminder: candles and a Chanukkiyah are both available at Chabad 


                      • Chabad are also organising a Hanukkah activity for kids on Sunday (pre-registration nz@chabadberlin.de  ) 

                      Furthermore

                        • Do you have a tree yet? The Prussian Palace Authority offers an opportunity to get your own tree, on Saturday in the Jagdschloss Stern in Potsdam (details)
                        • On Sunday at 3pm, Santa will land on the top of the Panorama Point in Potsdamer Platz, to entertain the kids. Some of the activities can be also seen from the ground, for seeing him closely, you have to buy tickets. 


                        • Music: 
                          • Friday, 6pm: The children band "Rumpelstil" in the Gethsemanekirche in Prenzlauer Berg 
                          • Saturday, 3:30: Zwergnase, fairy-tale concert at the Philharmonie (details)
                          • Sunday, 2pm: Drummers' Circle. in the UFA fabrik in Tempelhof (details)
                        • Museums and Castles: 
                          • "Animal Depiction", workshop for kids at the Alte Nationalgalerie, Sat 3pm (details)
                          • A guided tour for kids with "Henry the Swan" in the Oranienburg Palace, Sat and Sun, both at 3pm (details)
                        • Sports: BTSC on Ice, an ice skating show with the opportunity to join in at the end (details)



                        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