There are several Bremen festivals throughout the year and during these festivals is a great time to visit the city. Bremen is found on the Weser River in Northern Germany. Some of the largest festivals in the world occur in Bremen as well as parades, races and other competitions.

The Oldest Festival in Germany

Freimarkt is the oldest festival in Germany as its first official event was in 1035. This festival is also the largest in northern Germany and millions of people come into town for this event. Friemarkt lasts for 17 days at the end of October. There are 2 sections to the festival; the Kleiner Freimarkt and the Bugerweide. Kliener Freimarkt translates to "small free fair" and occurs on the market square. The Burgerweide occurs in the exhibition center and the Main Station. The Freimarkt was not always in Bremen but it became fixed in Bremen in 1936.

Wild Carnival

Carnival happens in Bremen in February. There are masked concerts, parades and parties. The theme changes every year and this carnival started when a samba club wanted to bring some South American festivities to the city. The actual street carnival occurs on a Saturday after a huge party the previous Friday. There is also a large ball that Saturday after the parade.

TANZ Dance Festival

The TANZ festival is one of the best dance festivals around. This festival requires the musicians to be part of the performance besides focusing solely on the dancers. The festival occurs in April and you can expect to experience many fascinating and unusual works. There are many international performers and those from the local Bremen dance scene. Besides performances you can attend a workshop, lecture, training, discussion or watch films. This interaction between the audience and “performer” is an important part of the festival.

LA STRADA

LA STRADA occurs in Bremen in August each year. This is an international street circus festival. This occurs in the center of the city and the 4-day festival brings street performers from around the globe. Besides the street performers there are also 2 Gala shows that bring you the highlights of variety and theater. You can see juggling, muscular strength, circus alarm, music, acrobatics and comedy.

Breminale in July

Breminale is a culture and arts festival that occurs along the banks of the Weser River. This festival occurs at the end of June and beginning of July. Here you can partake in many cultural events, music performances and theater performances. There are rides and other activities for everyone in the family to have a great time.