A visit to Germany is not complete without going to a Beer Festival or a Wine Festival. In August, there are plenty to choose from. Whether you prefer to sample your wine in one of the small towns along the Mosel or in Ruedesheim on the Rhine or at wine festivals in Stuttgart, Hamburg, Mainz, Franfurt or Aachen, there is plenty on offer. Beer fans that are in Germany in August can partake in the Berlin Beer Festival, Berlin's answer to Oktoberfest.
1. The Berlin Beer Festival- 3 Aug - 6 Aug (First weekend of August annually)
Boasting the longest beer garden in the world (one mile long), the Berlin Beer Festival makes for a great way to spend a hot summer day. 1 million people a year come to this festival with stalls offering 1200 types of beer from over 180 breweries from Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium and the UK with a focus on smaller, private breweries. 12 stages provide live music and shows.Hours: Fri 12am-12pm; Sat 10am-12pm; Sun 10am-10pm
Cost: Free (except for the beer, of course)
Where: Karl Marx Allee, Berlin
2. Aachen Wine Festival- 3 Aug -6 Aug
The lovely town of Aachen hosts a summer wine festival each year with over 400 wines on offer from 20 or more wineries in Rhineland Palatine. Featured wines include Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, Kerner, Dornfelder and Spaetburgunder. Good music, good food, good wine and a generally great atmosphere make this Wine Festival a favorite among locals and tourists alike.Cost: Free
Location : Town Center
Visit the Aachen Tourism Website.
3. The Mainz Wine Festival-25 Aug to 28 Aug
The Mainz Wine Market ( Mainzer Weinmarkt) plays host to over half a million visitors each year as people meander through the parks and rose gardens of the town tasting wines, eating the local fare and browsing arts and crafts stalls. There is plenty of music to suit every taste and the city is particularly beautiful at this time of year.
Cost: Free
4. Culinary Summer Night in Bacharach on the Rhine-24 Aug -26 Aug 2007
The historic town of Bacharach on the Rhine offers up a gourmet food and wine festival, complete with fantastic fireworks displays the last weekend of every August. The Saturday night fireworks can be viewed from the town or from one of the many boats that offer excursions for this special weekend.Opening Hours - Friday 7 pm, Saturday 3 pm, Sunday 11 am
5. Mosel Wine Festivals - 1 April - 31 Oct
From early spring through fall, the towns along the Mosel hold wine festivals. Local foods and wines are served and a general party atmosphere prevails. The Mosel Valley is full of vineyards that rise up the hills from the river banks. There is likely to be a wine festival in one town or another every weekend in the Mosel region, the most well-known in August being the Bernkastel-Kues Wine Festival which starts on runs from the 30 August to 3 September.
6. The Stuttgart Wine Festival in Hamburg- 2 Aug - 18 Aug
Prior to their big Wine Festival in Stuttgart, Stuttgart Wineries bring their wares to Hamburg for 2 weeks at the beginning of August, setting up a wine village in the Hamburg Rathaus Marktplace, complete with wine and beer gardens, regional Stuttgart fare and arts and crafts from the Stuttgart region. The festival starts at 10 am or 11 am every day and goes until 11 pm or midnight.
Where : Hamburg Rathaus Market Place in the City Center
7. The Stuttgart Wine Festival - Stuttgart - 29 Aug - 9 Sep
The Stuttgart Wine Festival is one of the largest and most beautiful wine festivals in Germany. From the end of August to the beginning of September, the Stuttgart city center is transformed into a festive wine village. 120 wine alcoves with traditional decor offer up over 250 wines from the region, including Trollinger, Riesling, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, Schwarzriesling, Ruländer, Schillerwein, Lemberger and Weißherbst. Great music and food complement the warm and friendly atmosphere.8. The Ruedesheim Wine Festival-17 Aug - 20 Aug
Always charming and picturesque, the small Rhine wine village of Ruedesheim hosts a Wine Festival that features the wineries of the region as well as entertainment, children's activities and food. If you are not at ease going into the small wine tasting rooms, this is a perfect way to get to know Ruedesheim and its wines. The festival takes place on the main street and you can enjoy the beautiful views to the Rhine and the vineyards above as you sip your wine.9. The Frankfurt Rheingau Wine Festival - 29 Aug - 7 Sep
The Rheingau Wine Festival (Rheingauer Weinmarkt) is Frankfurt's only wine festival with vintners from the Rheingau offering over 600 types of wines in Fressgasse, one of Frankfurt's charming small streets. Rieslings are the order of the day here, reflecting the unique terroir of the Rheingau wine region.Opening Hours 11am-11pm
Address: Grosse Bockenheimerstrasse, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
