Asian carnival participants

Since my first Berlin-Blog post on Young-Germany.de, I’ve been excitedly waiting to write about one of Berlin’s particular events: the annual Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures).

The Karneval der Kulturen stands out of the slew of cultural events held here, combining multiculturalism with international foods and music for a spectacular must-see highlight!

For the 15th year now, the four-day Pentecost weekend is dedicated to Berlin’s open-air carnival. Friday marked its kick-off: streets in Berlin-Kreuzberg were closed off to cars and public transportation to make room for the set up of stages and food stands. Once everything was prepared, the celebration began. Until late into the night, Berliners partied on the streets and in between the stands. The next day, the carnival continued in full bloom, dedicating to Berlin’s children. With the slogan “The Frogs are Loose“, thousands of youngsters gathered together to have their faces painted and dance with their friends. This evening similarly ended with joyful people partying on the streets of Kreuzberg until dawn. Then Sunday arrived. Sunday marked the peak of the carnival with the traditional flashy parade.

The Soca Truck

Berlin is home to residents from more than 70 different countries and stands out as a true melting pot amongst other German cities. The Karneval der Kulturen embraces Berlin’s multiculturalism by giving each culture a chance to introduce and represent itself in the parade of vans. Ninety colorful trucks proudly sashayed through the crowded streets of Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, practically knocking 1.5 million spectators out of their shoes with their impressive performances and live acts. The athmosphere was vibrant, the sun was shining and everywhere I looked I saw smiling faces.

Walking into the Sun

After the parade came to an end in the evening, the party continued on the streets. Diskjockeys heated up the crowd with their tunes and took everyone’s mood up even a niche higher. The neighbouring park had stands offering every exotic food and drink imaginable, leaving everyone at an all-time high point. For a third time, everyone partied together untill late in the night, remembering the amazing carneval and embracing joy in life.

Let the Caribbean tunes, Asian flair and German grounds inspire you next year! Hope to see you here. (Admission is free)