The Best Music Festivals in Berlin

As any techno fan will know, Berlin is the place for late nights, thumping tunes, and wild parties. But Berlin isn’t just about techno. Many music scenes are thriving there and, as a result, there are a fair few killer music festivals in Berlin.

As festival season approaches, we’re all searching for the best festivals to hit with our pals this year. So we thought we’d give you a hand by putting all the best Berlin music festivals in one place (plus some fests just outside the city). Take a look, stick some screenshots in the group chat, and get planning for an unreal festival season! 

 

Lollapalooza Berlin

Photo: Lollapalooza Berlin / Facebook.com 

When: Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th September 2024

Where: Olympiastadion and Olympiapark in Berlin, Germany

2024 lineup: Martin Garrix, Sam Smith, Burna Boy, OneRepublic, Louis Tomlinson, Nothing But Thieves, Meduza, Girls Don't Sync, Kenya Grace, CMAT, Loyle Carner, and more 

Lollapalooza has homes in many countries including Germany (of course), Brazil, the US, Argentina, Chile, Sweden, and France. And the world-famous Lolla returns to Berlin with another multi-genre, all-star lineup in 2024. 

The two-day musical journey this year covers pop, rock, indie, dance music, and a splash of hip-hop, and will also feature other interactive areas including Fashionpalooza, the Lolla Fun Fair, and Gruner Kiez (Green District) which is all about sustainability. If you’ve got littluns you’re taking along, they have Kidzapalooza, which offers music and creative activities. 

At Lolla Berlin, you can rest easy knowing that the festival is green with the festival being the first in Germany to be certified as sustainable according to international standards.

 

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Pop-Kultur

Photo: Pop-Kultur Berlin / Instagram.com 

When: Wednesday 28th - Friday 30th August 2024

Where: Kulturbrauerei in Berlin, Germany 

2024 lineup: Arab Strap, futurebae, Lambrini Girls, Sextile, Melanas, Zebra Katz, Ms Nina, Gaye Su Akyol, Priya Ragu, Rich Aucoin, A Certain Ratio, and more  

Pop-Kultur has a diverse programme of music, talks, exhibitions, and more. First launched in 2015, Pop-Kultur is a strong creative force in Berlin. Over 44 artists have been announced so far, spanning hip-hop, pop, punk, rock, electronic, and more, and the team behind the fest still haven’t announced all the acts yet. 

A great festival for aspiring musicians, Pop-Kultur also offers its Nachwuchs programme which offers over 40 workshops, talks, and lectures (in German and English) to help people with their next career steps in music. If you fancy this, you have to apply. 

 

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OPENLESS / Berlin Atonal 

Photo: Berlin Atonal / Instagram.com

When: Friday 23rd - Sunday 25th August 2024 

Where: Kraftwerk Complex in Berlin, Germany 

2024 lineup: TBA 

Okay so bear with us here. Berlin Atonal isn’t actually happening this year, instead, they’re doing OPENLESS, a one-off event concept, before returning with Atonal in summer 2025. Still, we wanted to put Atonal on your radar as it’s considered a highly impressive festival that is incredibly celebrated. 

Atonal is known for drawing in crowds that wear black and love techno. Aesthetics are a huge part of the experience with lighting, installations, screenings and more creating an enchanting vibe. Techno, droning, and pioneering ambient sounds are commonplace here. 

Now, onto OPENLESS. OPENLESS is a three-day program featuring newly created work from artists working at the cutting edge of experimental culture. Not much has been revealed about it yet but with the Atonal team behind it, it's definitely something to keep an eye on. Info on the projects and artists will be revealed on the 26th of June. 

 

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Citadel Music Festival

Photo: Citadel Music Festival / Instagram.com 

When: multiple dates from June - August 2024

Where: Spandau Citadel in Berlin, Germany 

2024 lineup: Take That, Greta Van Fleet, Toto, ZZ Top, ANOHNI & The Johnsons, Queens Of The Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Noah Kahan, Heilung, and more 

We’re cheating a bit as Citadel is actually a series of open-air summer gigs but it’s just too good to leave off our list of the best music festivals in Berlin! Typically held from June to August (the warmest and most pleasant times of the year), Citadel brings up to 25 gigs per season.

Citadel has had some massive names on its stages including Bob Dylan, Portishead, Cypress Hill, Bjork, Motorhead, PJ Harvey, The Chemical Brothers, and many more. And it’s continuing its legacy of welcoming huge names this year across indie, pop, and rock.

 

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Desertfest Berlin

Photo: Desertfest Berlin / Facebook.com

When: Friday 24th - Sunday 26th May 2024

Where: Columbiahalle and Columbia Theater in Berlin, Germany

2024 lineup: Amenra, Osees, Pentagram, Earth Tongue, Masters Of Reality, Acid King, Tamikrest, Pigs x7, Mondo Generator, and more

While Desertfest 2024 has wrapped up, we wanted to assure you fans of heavier music that Berlin isn’t just all about electronic music. 

Desertfest showcases bands from the stoner rock scene with metal, psychedelic rock, sludge, doom, prog metal, and similar genres on its lineups. Like the English edition, Desertfest Berlin’s inaugural edition came to us in 2012, and both have since become a staple in the heavy music festival calendar. 

Known for showcasing the best names on those scenes with crowds that go hard, if you like heavier sounds, this is one of the music festivals in Berlin to watch. 

 

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Festivals just outside of Berlin

 

Zuruck zu den Wurzeln / Back to the Roots Festival

Photo: Zuruck zu den Wurzeln / Facebook.com 

When: Thursday 5th - Sunday 8th June 2025

Where: Secret Forest in Niedergörsdorf (just outside Berlin), Germany

2024 lineup: this festival keeps the lineup secret 

Yeah, it’s about an hour or two from Berlin but it’s a goodun! Returning in 2025, this forest festival will go down over four days with 200 artists and DJs, ten areas to explore, and over 50 workshops, all with a magical atmosphere.

Known for being green and sustainable, the festival offers “seed confetti” to plant wildflowers and help the bees instead of using traditional confetti that can harm the environment. 

There isn’t a strict music policy here, just about anything goes with house, reggae, DnB, techno, disco, afrohouse, psychedelic, punk, hip-hop, indie, and more across its stages. And the lineup will remain a secret until you get there! 

Outside the tunes, there are jugglers, poetry slams, readings, circus shows, an adult playground, a chill-out area and more. We have to say, this is definitely one of our faves. 

 

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Nation of Gondwana (by Pyonen) 

Photo: Pyonen / Facebook.com 

When: Friday 19th - Sunday 21st July 2024 

Where: Schonwalde-Glien in Grunefeld, Germany (near Berlin) 

2024 lineup: Narciss, Octo Octa, Ellen Allien, Or:la, Gerd Janson, Aurora Halal, DASCO, Der Dritte Raum, Dixon, DJ TOOL, Octave One (live), and more

Coming in with its 30th edition this year, Nation of Gondwana attracts around 10,000 people with its brilliant lineups and underground and retro feel. About 37 miles from Berlin (about an hour’s drive), the festival is too good to ignore.

This hedonistic parallel world focuses on electronic music, particularly techno. For the Nation, partying together means freedom and taking care of each other. That means there’s no tolerance for any nasty behaviour and that the fest discourages the use of mobile phones so that other festivalgoers can feel free and abandon their worries. 

The festival also places a heavy emphasis on being green, serving mostly vegan and vegetarian food (don’t worry if you eat meat, there’s still some available) and encourages recycling. Nation of Gondwana is a real family vibe! 

 

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Melt Festival

Photo: Melt Festival / Facebook.com

When: Thursday 11th - Saturday 13th July 2024 

Where: Ferropolis (a small town between Berlin and Leipzig) in Germany

2024 lineup: ANOTR, Kettama, Marlon Hoffstadt, Skepta, Slayyyter, Overmono, Funk Tribu, Chase & Status (DJ), Marcel Dettmann B2B VTSS, COBRAH, Yussef Dayes, Romy, and more 

Ferropolis is a bit further away from Berlin than the rest but it’s absolutely killer so we couldn’t miss it. Bursting with electronic and hip-hop talent (plus some from other genres), Melt is an incredible festival that’s heavily adored by many music fans across the globe. And, as you can see, the lineups always hit hard. 

A total escape from the real world, the festival boasts surrounding beaches, a man-made lake, morning yoga, workshops, talks, and more. The festival site is always full of devoted Melt Fest fans and, with that lineup, now’s the perfect time to join the club. 

If you’re thinking about checking out Melt, take a look at our review of 2023’s edition for a better idea of what to expect. 

 

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Clearly, there are some killer Berlin music festivals. With so many, it can be tricky to choose but we hope we made it easier for you to discover your next festival adventure!

While you're here, why not check out the best UK dance, trance, or house and techno festivals? 

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

Header: Berlin Atonal / Facebook.com