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This music theatre festival was founded in 1988 by composer Hans Werner Henze. The city of Munich commissions young composers to write their first full work for the festival. Now a biannual event, the festival has become an established highlight in the cultural life of the city, with a broad programme.

As many as 300,000 in-line skaters take advantage of Blade Nights, held between May and September since 1999. Roads are closed to traffic on Monday nights along five alternating routes – meaning no holds barred.

Smaller than the Berlin film festival and not quite as star-studded, Munich’s festival has made a name for itself as a festival of the people. There are screenings of international films in several cinemas throughout the city. Gasteig is the festival centre, and free open-air screenings are held here in the evenings.

This lively festival is held twice a year, in summer and winter with music, dance, and theatre in tents. Formerly an alternative event, it has matured into a major festival with a wide-ranging programme of performances, vendors, and beverage and food stalls.

Under Ludwig II, Munich grew into a centre of music, and was the site of premieres of Wagner’s operas and of a major Mozart festival. In 1910, the Richard Strauss festival week was launched, a tradition continued in the Opern-Festspiele, which features both classic works and contemporary pieces, accompanied by the innovative Festspiele + programme.

The pompous backdrop of the Königsplatz (Royal Square) seems tailor-made for open-air events. In summer, usually in July, you can enjoy classic concerts and even opera performances. To round out the programme, the large square is also used as a stage for rock and pop concerts and film screenings.

The longest open-air festival in the world – according to The Guinness Book of Records – has had to scale back. Nevertheless, the programme still boasts 24 days of free musical entertainment under the open skies in the Olympiapark amphitheatre. The concerts range from rock and pop to classical music.

More than six million visitors make the pilgrimage to the world’s largest popular fair, the Wiesn, which takes place over 16 days in September.

An innovative dance festival organized by the city of Munich, in collaboration with local and international partners. Many of the productions are multidisciplinary – and always beyond the ordinary.

Munich’s “Window on the World of Theatre” presents theatre productions from around the world at various venues, usually with a focus on one country each season.