Culture Calendar: June 2025
TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE
Sommerszene, Luke Jerram. Photo: Bernhard Müller
Hello, summer! June kicks off with a wave of cultural festivals across Austria, Switzerland, and Germany – celebrating everything from storytelling and opera to dance, music and love. Whether you’re into lakeside concerts, avant-garde performance, street parades or alfresco singing, there’s something magical waiting just around the corner.
Storytelling Festival, Dr. Bubbles. Photo: Moritz Pirker
STORYTELLING FESTIVAL, GRAZ (23 MAY – 15 JUNE)
Folke Tegetthoff’s International Storytelling Festival brings a touch of storytelling magic to Graz and beyond. With a stunning range of events across six Austrian towns and cities, this celebration blends poetry, puppetry, shadow theatre, dance, acrobatics, and music in both English and German. A truly one-of-a-kind festival experience not to be missed.
Storytelling Festival. Photo: Klz Klier Thomas
Storytelling Festival, Am Thalersee. Photo: Florian Matzi
CARNIVAL OF CULTURES, BERLIN (6 – 9 JUNE)
This vibrant and colourful festival celebrates Berlin’s multiculturalism with street parades, live music, and dance performances. Thouands of people gather to enjoy the festivities and explore the various food stalls with a range of international cuisines represented.
Sommerszene, Marinella Senatore. Photo: Bernhard Müller
SOMMERSZENE, SALZBURG (10 – 22 JUNE)
Sommerszene is SZENE Salzburg’s bold and boundary-pushing summer festival, showcasing powerful, political, and avant-garde work from international and local artists. With a focus on contemporary dance, theatre, and performance, the festival transforms Salzburg into a vibrant stage for groundbreaking ideas and site-specific creations. A highlight of the European festival calendar since the 1980s.
www.szene-salzburg.net/en/sommerszene
Sommerszene, shoefarmprelude. Photo: Jacowbski IV
LAKE AND SOUND FESTIVAL, RAPPERSWIL-JONA (19 – 21 JUNE)
Hosted by Marc Sway, Lake and Sound is a boutique music festival set right on the lakeside in Rapperswil-Jona. With hand-picked live acts across two open-air stages, stunning views, and a warm, family-friendly vibe – including a dedicated Family Sunday, it’s a summer highlight for music lovers seeking quality, ambiance and a personal touch.
Oper für alle, Zurich. Photo: Gina Held
OPERA FOR EVERYONE, ZURICH (12 JUNE)
Oper für alle (opera for everyone) returns to the plaza Sechseläutenplatz with a free open-air screening of Jacques Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, bringing world-class opera to the heart of Zurich. The evening before features the popular Kino für alle, making for a festive weekend of alfresco culture. Pack your picnic and enjoy a summer evening under the stars.
ZURICH PRIDE FESTIVAL (20 – 21 JUNE)
Zurich Pride Festival is a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ rights and culture, drawing thousands to the city each June. Originating as Christopher Street Day in 1994, it was rebranded in 2009 and has since become a cornerstone of Zurich’s event calendar. The festival combines a lively parade, concerts, and community events, fostering inclusivity and solidarity.
FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE, BERLIN (21 JUNE)
On the longest day of the year, Berlin joins over 300 cities worldwide to celebrate Fête de la Musique – a free, open-air festival marking the official start of summer. Musicians, bands, DJs, orchestras, and choirs fill the streets with sound, offering performances for everyone, everywhere in the city. It’s a joyful, inclusive celebration of musical diversity – for those who make music, love music, or simply want to experience the capital in full sonic bloom.
Fête De La Musique, Berlin. Photo: Jim Kroft
8 HOURS NEUKÖLLN, BERLIN (27 – 29 JUNE)
For 48 hours each year, Berlin’s Neukölln district becomes a buzzing showcase of artistic freedom and diversity. Since 1999, the 48 Stunden Neukölln festival has turned unexpected corners into creative playgrounds open, daring, and full of surprises. This year’s theme WFT (what the fact?) invites artists to explore the shifting lines between reality and perception in a world shaped by screens, data, and digital illusions.
Sommerszene, Rosana Ribeiro-Selva. Photo: Bernhard Müller
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