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Berlin Carnival of Cultures 2017

Berlin celebrates its cultural diversity at the Carnival of Cultures: thousands of dancers, musicians and artists to perform with colourful street parade

June 15th, 2017
Anna Varava, News from Berlin
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The Carnival of Cultures is held every year in early summer, it is open to everybody and all forms of cultural activities. It's a platform for the expression of hybrid cultural identities containing traditional and contemporary elements. It includes and attracts all age groups, both professional artists and amateurs.

For four days a street festival takes place at Blucherplatz in the Kreuzberg District where Berlin's World Music scene and international bands play concerts. Stilt walkers, acrobats and magicians invite visitors to give it a try with them. There are about 300 market stalls that will attract visitors with culinary temptations, arts, crafts and much more.

The Carnival of Cultures hosts over 100 bands and DJs with the best global beats, and over 200 performers and artists who are creating a global cultural village in Kreuzberg for three days from June 2nd to the 4th. Four different stages performed global music all day for all the visitors, free of charge, from Latin grooves, Balkan beats, Jazz, Hip-Hop to even K-pop music.

The festival gave the opportunity for organizations to show their activities, with Rasen in Aktion, for both youth and adults but also Green Area which was working for green initiatives. Some workshops were dedicated to companies, they could present their projects and engagement concerning environmental and social issues. 

The Parade started on June 4th, midday from Hermannplatz and finished at 9pm at Yorckstase. More than 1.1 million visitors attended the Carnival in the past years, and for 19 years it has become a trademark for Berlin. Public sponsors, companies and media support the initiative on a constant basis.

This event turned the streets of Berlin into the largest stage, raising awareness about life and politics through art and celebration. Festival itself was considered historically as a reaction against the nationalism and racism that grew in the 90s in Germany, with the aim to make minorities more visible in the sphere. Today, as in the past, The “Karneval der Kulturen” creates an artistic space that enables a plural and heterogeneous meeting.

The Carnival of Cultures is a great opportunity for Berlin various ethnicity to make their cultures visible, reflects Berlin's many faces, and gives chance for everybody to see and celebrate cultural diversity. A Carnival makes a City.

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News from Berlin