Music, arts and culture -A festival summer in Germanyby Sophie Apelt
There is hardly a region in Germany without its own music festival.
Festivals have a long tradition in Germany. Some of the oldest date back to the
1920s. Most of them take place in the summer and are open-air events. The
months of June, July and August are the peak season for festivals.
Here is a glimpse of this year’s festival summer with a festival in
Münster, one near Hanover, and one at an old airport in Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania.
Zur DEUTSCHEN Version
Zur DEUTSCHEN Version
When? Late JuneFusion FestivalWhere? Müritz Airport Rechlin-Lärz (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
Since 1997, the Fusion Festival takes place on the former Russian
military airfield Lärz, near Müritz Lake, about 100 km north of Berlin. Every
year, the airfield turns into a small world far from everyday life. The Fusion
is a non-commercial festival. Tolerance and the environment are the main theme.
For instance, only vegetarian and vegan foods are offered, and there is no advertising
on the festival grounds.
The crowd as well as the artists are international. For this one
weekend, around 70,000 people come together and turn this old airport into a
unique “Kulturkosmos”, that’s the name of the association that organises the festival.
The Fusion Festival is an open-air event, but there are also covered stages. The old airport hangars are used, and circus tents are erected, so that concerts can take place even if the weather turns bad. The roughly 24 stages/decks offer a huge variety of electronic music, in addition to hip-hop, jazz, reggae, goa, ska and rock, punk, metal, dancehall and trance. Apart from the music, there is a diverse cultural programme with cinema, readings and discussion rounds, cabaret and audio drama, as well as theatre and performance art. Since the Fusion attracts visitors from all over the world, many events are held in English.
The Fusion Festival is an open-air event, but there are also covered stages. The old airport hangars are used, and circus tents are erected, so that concerts can take place even if the weather turns bad. The roughly 24 stages/decks offer a huge variety of electronic music, in addition to hip-hop, jazz, reggae, goa, ska and rock, punk, metal, dancehall and trance. Apart from the music, there is a diverse cultural programme with cinema, readings and discussion rounds, cabaret and audio drama, as well as theatre and performance art. Since the Fusion attracts visitors from all over the world, many events are held in English.
When? JulySNTTG FestivalWhere? Sehnde near Hanover (Lower Saxony)
A tram museum near Hanover hosts the SNNTG Festival. To get from one
part of the grounds to the other, you take a historic tram. The organisers are
very concerned with promoting culture and local cooperation, for example with
the higher education institution’s student services or with initiatives like
Viva con Agua and Amnesty International. You can paint your own cloth bag, play
volleyball or enjoy a coffee in the tram café. Like at Fusion, visitors can
stay on the camping grounds, because the festivals last all weekend.
The SNNTG Festival offers three stages, and with around 3,000 visitors per day is a comparatively small event. The stages are all outside and spread around the museum grounds. There are old trams and buses everywhere that are decoratively integrated into the overall festival. The highlight is the tram ride from one stage to another, and with a little luck you can catch a concert right there inside the tram. There is a hall with exhibits, installations and a place to sit. This year’s bands came from Poland, France and England, among other places. The music is diverse. One stage is reserved for hip-hop, funk and soul, one for indie, rock and pop, and the third features electronic music.
The SNNTG Festival offers three stages, and with around 3,000 visitors per day is a comparatively small event. The stages are all outside and spread around the museum grounds. There are old trams and buses everywhere that are decoratively integrated into the overall festival. The highlight is the tram ride from one stage to another, and with a little luck you can catch a concert right there inside the tram. There is a hall with exhibits, installations and a place to sit. This year’s bands came from Poland, France and England, among other places. The music is diverse. One stage is reserved for hip-hop, funk and soul, one for indie, rock and pop, and the third features electronic music.
When? JulyNah am WasserWhere? Münster (North-Rhine Westphalia)
In Germany, you will find many small day festivals all summer long –
like the one in Münster, North-Rhine Westphalia. The “Nah am Wasser” (Near the
Water) Festival took place there for the first time this year. Its special
feature is the beach atmosphere right in the middle of the city. Sand, palm
trees, beach chairs and even a pool make the grounds feel like a little oasis
where you can enjoy cocktails, long drinks, and home-made burgers. The festival
grounds are located right on the canal next to Münster’s city harbour, and the
event is held outdoors.
There is music by many artists all day long, ranging from hip-hop,
indie rock and pop all the way to singer-songwriter. This summer, 2,500
visitors attended the day festival.
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A festival summer in Germany
The Diversity of Festivals
Fusion Festival
SNTTG Festival
Nah am Wasser
Love for Detail
Festivals in Universities
A festival summer in Germany
The Diversity of Festivals
Fusion Festival
SNTTG Festival
Nah am Wasser
Love for Detail
Festivals in Universities
