Gastronomy

Berlin Food Week

Germany might not be famed for its cuisine, but Berlin's food scene is an exception to the rule. Events like th eBerlin Food Week bring together the local gastro-innovators in a series of events with different concepts, several of them focusing on innovaiton ant the future of food. The different locations are also a part of the appeal, one of them being the beautiful restaurant of the Dussmann-Haus - famed Berlin publishing house and book shop located on Friedrichstrasse, in the Mitte district. Parallel to this and other events, at the designer mall Bikini Berlin in the City West area - old West Berlin's main commercial area -, there will be a small trade fair by the name of 'House of Food', with food start-up companies bringing novelty into the table in more senses than one, by letting visitors sample these new flavors and textures.
There's also a French event across 15 vinothèques and wine bars, exploring not just wines but pairings with cheese and other snacks.

The Berlin Food Week takes place October 9-15.

Participating venues and program, you'll find here.

For different palates

For those interested in a taste of Japan, on the first week of Otober there will be a Sake Week taking place across 20 different location, which despite its name will feature food as well. This includes serveral festivals, among them the Sake Matsuri Festival at Manifesto am Potsdamer Platz and the Ramen Festial at Berliner Berg Brauerei. Programme here.

A further tip for visitors and locals keen on Japanese flavors and culture are the traditional tea ceremony demonstrations taking place in the especially-designed tea house of the new Museum of Asian Art within the Humboldt Forum at the Berlin Palace. The next one is scheduled for October 22. Additional details here.

The German capital is a virtual mecca for vegans, and if anything, the difficult part is choosing where to eat. The Vegan Sundays event organized by Green Market Berlin - a vegan lifestyle initiative - will have its next edition on October 8 by the river Spree, at the iconic and now lovingly restored 19th century Eierhäuschen ('little egg houses'). This was once the Biergarten in the old amusement park, Spreepark. Happily situated within the Plänterwald forest, it is also a beautiful area to go on an autumnal stroll and enjoy Berlin's underrated but much abundant nature. The old Spreepark is currently being redeveloped with a new concept focused on culture and sustainability.
Further information on the Vegan Sundays can be found here.

Lovers of Italian food will be able to enjoy the Food Festival hosted by the magazine tipBerlin during the first week of the month. It will culminate with a food market on the weekend of October 7/8 in one of Berlin's last ballrooms of the 1900s: the historic Clärchens Ballhaus, in the Mitte district. More information here.

Familiy-friendly & kids

Familiennacht

A cultural evening especially dedicated to families and children, the Familiennacht boasts more than 150 activities on this 13th edition of the event. A lot of them are located within the city center but there are certainly opportunities to explore the outskirts as well as scenic areas of the neighboring state of Brandenburg.
Some of the participating venues within the city include the Samurai Museum, which will offer a temporary exhibition an interactive experience abot Japanese folk tales such as the mythical Mononoke.
For a mini adventure north of Berlin, not far from the old medieval settlement of Bernau bei Berlin, we suggest the wandering event along the margins of the lake Liepnitzsee, at dusk. This combines an outdoors guided tour with an evening picnic. Alternatively, there is also a 'night adventure' activity taking place in the scenic south-east of Berlin, the Köpenick district.
This year the Familiennacht takes place on the second Saturday of the month, October 7, throughout the city, from 5 pm to midnight. Other hightlights include puppet theater, children's ballet and workshops. Most activities require prior registration. Details here.

Architecture

The Great Repair

This temporary exhibition organized by our friends at Arch+ focuses on the role of repair in architecture through 40 positions. Between an exercise in living space and a design feature within its own right, repairing is a process where change becomes undeniable, prompted by the passage of time or even by the very action of Men. In a time where sustainability is increasingly important and a particularly polemic topic within architecture, the act of repairing can also be a strong political one. These and other ideas will be up for consideration at the Academy of Arts (Akademie der Künste) for the upcoming months, between October 14 and January 14.
More information here.

Music

Day of Club Culture

Berlin's unique club culture is a huge part of its creative and tourism industries and also part of what makes the city stand out so much from the rest of Germany. Not only that, but it has undeniable historical significance. For these reasons alone, this festival would earn its place on this list. However, the important political aspects of music in terms of binding communities, fostering talent, renewing sensibilities and helping to shape the city, become especially important now, with the looming issue of the A100 freeway extemsino threatening important venues with eviction. This poses a risk for the vibrant scene of the German capital, and would result in a dangerous precedent: socially and environmentally. Luckily, in recent years the local government has been recognizing this through a series of initiatives, one of them being the Day of Club Culture (Tag der Clubkultur), so between October 3 and 8, more than 40 clubs and collectives will participate in the 4th edition of this celebration of club culture and its claim for a rightful place among other cultural institutions in Berlin.
Tickets and program here.

Visual Arts & Multimedia

Festival of Lights

For those visiting, longer nights usually mean less of an opportunity to enjoy the city's sights, however, the Festival of Lights is an upbeat way of welcoming fall: allowing for sightseeing around Berlin, but also for seeing it in a different light - literally.
Imposing landmarks around the entire city center light up once again this year, with the motto 'Colors of Life'. Installations of several known aritsts from around the world in collaboration with the festival's team will delve into the diversity that unites us.
This 19th edition promises to once again brighten and dazzle whilst remaining truthful to its social engagement in exploring relevant sociopolitical topics.
Between October 6-15, be prepared to experience the city center across 42 locations under the vibrant magic of colors, art and light. The map with participatins location and information on all the installations can be found here.

Top Cultural Events in Berlin - October 2023