Culture Calendar: June 2024

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE

Summer is fast approaching, and we’re here for it! With long evenings and warm weather setting the stage, there’s no better time for concerts, outdoor theatre and a fabulous range of festivals. We’re eager to jump into the season’s offerings.

Festival for Short Film, Animation & Music Videos, Vienna (28 May – 02 June)

This is Austria’s largest short film festival and a key event for short films fans across all genres. It serves as an excellent platform to display international shorts that are up to 30 minutes long, and it also highlights emerging talent from both Austria and around the world.

www.viennashorts.com

Fête Sommerszene, Luke Jerram_Gaia at Frauenkirche Dresden. Photo: Oliver Killig

Sommerszene, Salzburg (4 – 16 June)

As the Sommerszene Festival kicks off, Salzburg transforms into a prime destination for contemporary performance art. Throughout these two weeks in June, Mozart’s illustrious hometown invites artists and visitors from around the globe, living up to its reputation for showcasing compelling, cutting-edge, discursive and politically charged dance performances.

www.szene-salzburg.net/en/sommerszene

Sommerszene, Alessandro Sciarroni Photo: Sommerszene 2023 / Bernhard-Mueller

Sommerszene, Marinella Senatore Photo: Sommerszene 2023 / Bernhard-Mueller

Blues’n’jazz, Rapperswil-Jona (14 – 16 June)

Guests of the enchanting blues’n’jazz Festival can look forward to outstanding performances from both international and local artists. The unique charm of this event isn’t just in the music – the stunning views of Lake Zurich also enhance the magical atmosphere. With fabulous music, delicious food from market stalls and leisurely walks along the lake’s promenade, it’s the ideal setting for a festival beneath the stars.

www.bluesnjazz.ch

Ballet for everyone, Zurich (15 June)

Prepare your picnic and champagne: Every June, Zurich’s esteemed opera house hosts a live open-air broadcast of a ballet performance on the Sechseläutenplatz. This free event draws a crowd of over 12,000 attendees – and rightly so. This year, the event will showcase Georges Bizets‘ iconic opera ‘Carmen,’ featuring a stellar cast live on the big screen at the plaza.

www.opernhaus.ch

Zurich Pride Festival (14 – 15 June)

This important festival is more than just a lively celebration, it also serves as a peaceful platform to promote LGBTQ+ rights. Originating as Zurich’s Christopher Street Day, the event evolved into the Zurich Pride Festival in 2009. As the largest event of its kind in Switzerland, it attracts thousands of supporters to the city each year to honour the LGBTQ+ community.

www.zurichpridefestival.ch

Fête de la Musique, Berlin (21 June)

Celebrated throughout Europe, Fête de la Musique is a renowned free music festival that unfolds in more than 300 cities globally. On the longest day of the year, marking the official commencement of summer, Berlin’s streets come alive with performances from musicians, bands, orchestras, DJs and even choirs. The festival is open to all who wish to organise a musical act or play an instrument as well as those who prefer to just revel in the sounds and rhythms together.

www.fetedelamusique.de

Donauinselfest. Photo: Alex Mueller

Donauinselfest, Danube Island, Vienna (21– 23 June)

Once again, the iconic Donauinselfest transforms Vienna’s Danube Island into the largest open-air stage in Europe. For the 41st time, this free festival will draw tens of thousands of music lovers once again to its scenic riverside location. A perfect start to the summer.

www.donauinselfest.at

48 Hours Neukölln, 7Umspannwerk, Collapse, Marta Djourina Photo: Tanja Schnitzler

48 Hours Neukölln, Berlin (28 – 30 June)

Held in the vibrant district of Neukölln in Berlin, the famous art festival, which lasts for 48 hours as the name implies, has been a staple since 1999. Recognised as a cultural gem, the festival reveals the unexpected treasures of Neukölln through its 48-hour showcase of the neighbourhood’s diverse artistic flair. Local cultural institutions and groups unite to ignite the area’s creative spirit.

www.48-stunden-neukoelln.de