Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday
Hundreds of balls are organized during the Mardi Gras season in Munich – from classic black and white balls, to colorful masked balls. “München Narrisch,” a celebration of Mardi Gras antics with music, masks and dancing, takes place in the city’s pedestrian zone on the Sunday before Carnival, -on Shrove Monday and Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras).
Strong beer season
The traditional serving of springtime strong beer in Munich always begins at the end of the carnival season (Mardi Gras) during Lent. Depending on the location the strong beer season lasts about four weeks. The official opening is attended by numerous notables, when the keg is tapped at the inn “Paulaner Wirtshaus am Nockherberg” (exact date TBD). The strong beer festival is also celebrated at Löwenbräukeller, with performances by groups dressed in traditional attire and a stone-lifting contest (strong beer finals with contest), and at other locations. The people of Munich owe this “spring diet” to the monks, who have brewed a particularly nourishing beer since the olden days, in order to endure the rigors of fasting during Lent.
The people of Munich owe this “vernal cure” to the monks, who long ago already brewed an especially nourishing beer during the Lenten season in order to give strength to bodies weakened by fasting.
Spring Festival on Theresienwiese
An amusement park with over 100 rides and other attractions, plus various beer tents with daily new live bands draw people to the Theresienwiese to party. Visitors can expect a lively program.
Munich Film Festival
The international film scene presents itself in Munich. Movie fans, international stars, upcoming talent, representatives of the film industry and journalists meet to discover new films together. The program includes numerous German and international premieres. The venues for the festival are the movie houses along the “Isar strip,” from the Rio-Kino and the Gasteig, the movie houses at the Forum of the Deutsches Museum and the Maxx, all the way to Munich’s Film Museum.
Tollwood summer festival
The tent shows in Olympiapark include an exciting mix of international musicians, theater groups, performances and live music. Any visit to Tollwood is special owing to the art and culture as well as the popular market of ideas featuring arts and crafts and gastronomical specialties from around the world.
Tollwood winter festival
In winter, the Tollwood festival invites visitors to an atmospheric Christmas market, theater and music located in various tents on Theresienwiese. The large tent is devoted to a special kind of musical theater with an exclusive menu.
Christkindl markets
Munich holds its traditional Christkindl market on Marienplatz. A huge Christmas tree all covered in lights towers over the many stands all aglow with pre-Christmas magic. Advent music is performed live every evening at 5.30 p.m. from the balcony of the Town Hall.
