Culture Calendar – January 2020

Text: Marilena Stracke

It’s finally 2020 and a brand-new year lies ahead of us. We now show you how to start the new year in style. Enjoy a New Year’s concert, watch some contemporary dance or kickstart those new year’s resolutions with a marathon across Berlin. January has a lot to offer, and there’s certainly the right event for everyone.

New Year’s Concert, Vienna (1 January)

New Year’s Day means it’s time for the undisputed highlight of the famous Wiener Philharmoniker. Works by Strauß take centre stage during this concert, which is broadcasted live in 90 different countries and one of the most popular ones in all of Austria. Tickets are only available through a lottery, but even if you don’t get one, it’s wonderful to watch the live broadcast.

www.wienerphilharmoniker.at

Touch the Mountains Interlaken 2019, featuring HECHT, Saint City Orchestra and BLIGG. Photo © David Birri

Touch the Mountains, Interlaken (1 January)

This free open-air event in Switzerland’s Interlaken is certainly one of the best starts to the new year. A fabulous line-up of bands awaits guests across the city and celebrations last up until the wee hours of the morning.

www.touchthemountains.ch

New Year’s Marathon, Berlin (1 January)

New Year’s resolutions typically involve some form of exercise, so Berlin’s 4k New Year’s Marathon might well be the right way to kickstart your new habit. Each year, around 3,500 people take part and run across Berlin. There are no races or competitions, this marathon is all about participating. You don’t have to register: instead, simply show up on the day and you’re good to go.

www.berliner-neujahrslauf.de

Four Hills Tournament, Bischofshofen (5 – 6 January)

This tournament is a real gem for winter sports fans. Each year around 25,000 ski enthusiasts come to cheer on the world’s champions during the final of the prestigious Four Hill Tournament taking place in Bischofshofen. Wrap up warm and enjoy this premium sports event.

www.vierschanzentournee.com/en

TrendSet Munich (5 – 7 January)

Interiors, inspiration and lifestyle: The TrendSet fair in Munich has it all. On an impressive 100,000 square metres, around 2,500 brands and collections will be on display. Each year, approximately 35,000 buyers, top decision-makers and design enthusiasts explore the upcoming trends and get a headstart on the season. TrendSet takes place twice a year, and is open to the public, as well.

www.trendset.de

Four Hills Tournament. Photo © Ingo Jensen

Days of Dance, Berlin (8 – 18 January)

This festival is called ‘Tanztage’, which translates to ‘Days of Dance’. Its focus is on contemporary dance and it has a reputation for discovering and supporting emerging choreographers and dancers. A variety of genres and styles keep the ‘Tanztage’ fresh and give a real insight into Berlin’s dance scene. Tickets will be available on the website of the Sophiensaele venue.

www.sophiensaele.com

Neue ArT fair, Dresden (10 – 12 January)

It’s all about arts at this fair. From paintings and graphics to sculptures, photos, designs and installations, there is the right kind of art for everyone to enjoy. The fair also shows how much heart and soul goes into the creative process of making art, in whatever shape or form it takes. Whether you are an art professional or art lover, you should certainly head to Dresden and check it out.

www.neue-art-dresden.de

Fantasy Film Fest, Berlin (11 – 12 January)

This is the 35th edition of the Fantasy Film Festival in Berlin. It takes place at the Cinestar in the Sony Centre and it brings you anything from socially accepted vampires to needy zombies who annoy their families. Think horror, fantasy and everything in between. The audience can look forward to various European and world premieres. One of the highlights is the award for black humour.

www.fantasyfilmfest.com

Husky camp and race, Pillersee Tal (11 – 26 January)

Welcome to the husky camp. This is a truly special event, and not just if you love dogs. Here, visitors can learn how to care for these stunning canines. During the show, beautiful huskies from all over the globe are introduced to the audience. It’s an unforgettable moment to see them race across the beautiful snowy Austrian landscape.

www.kitzbueheler-alpen.com

Berlin Fashion Week (13 – 17 January)

It’s that time of the year again, when Berlin turns into the capital of fashion. Twice a year, fashion buyers, retailers, celebrities and journalists flock to the Fashion Week to watch global trends emerge right in front of their very eyes. New collections, new styles and a lot of glamour – that’s the Berlin Fashion Week for you.

www.fashion-week-berlin.com

International Dolomitenlauf, Lienz (16 – 19 January)

This is without a doubt Austria’s largest and most important cross-country skiing event. This year’s 46th edition is bound to be a lot of fun. The concept is fairly unique, as the event is open to both amateurs and professionals. Seven races of varying levels (of both distance and difficulty) ensure everyone can find the one that’s right for their level of fitness. It’s a four-day skiing extravaganza not to be missed.

www.dolomitensport.at

International Green Week, Berlin (17 – 26 January)

This fair has a long history dating back to 1926. Yet, each year, it continues to amaze guests with new products, and many known brands come here to test the market. It is often considered to be the world’s biggest green fair for the food, agricultural and gardening industries. This year’s partner country is Croatia. Go check it out for yourself!

www.gruenewoche.de

Antique fair of La Gruyère, Bulle (24 – 26 January)

The Gruyère market always promises to be a lot of fun and it’s one of the largest indoor events of this kind in the French part of Switzerland. Over 240 exhibitors are expected to showcase a great range of items on 8,000 square-metres. Its lovely flea-market atmosphere contributes to the laid-back vibe, too. It is an absolute favourite for locals, but it never fails to attract visitors from afar, as well.

www.la-gruyere.ch

Read the feature on issuu