Welcome to the Carnival of Cultures!
Information for Residents
As an expression of peaceful togetherness, the Carnival of Cultures invites you to experience Germany’s largest anti-racist, post-migrant intervention in public space and to set a sign for solidarity, openness, and cultural participation together. This form of encounter and visibility naturally brings some challenges, which we aim to counteract with our sustainable event management.
During the Carnival, road closures and no-parking zones will occur in both Friedrichshain (parade) and Kreuzberg (street festival).
Please observe the road closures and no-parking zones. Move your car in good time to avoid costly towing.
Road closures can be found on the site maps. Subject to change. The posted traffic signs apply.
The event takes place in accordance with the approved special application regarding noise, which is constantly monitored. Noise sources outside the event times mentioned here refer only to setup, dismantling, and cleaning work. Other noise sources are not part of the event and unfortunately cannot be regulated by us. In such cases, please contact the originators or the responsible authorities directly.
The event is officially authorized, including with regard to noise emissions, which are regularly monitored. At the same time, we strive to keep the impact on the neighborhood as low as possible.
The reduction of uncontrolled waste is regulated by waste collection and sorting points, as well as deposit collection islands.
Following the cleaning by ALBA, there will be a Clean-Up Day by our communities after the parade to restore the neighborhood. If you would like to participate, register here.
We are happy to assist you with any concerns regarding the event: info@karneval.berlin or special inquiries directly to anwohner@karneval.berlin
In addition, a police citizen hotline has been set up, which is reachable especially on the day of the event.
POLICE CITIZEN HOTLINE
Tel: 030/46 64 50 14 30
Mon to Fri: 8 AM – 2 PM, and 12 PM – 10 PM on the day of the event.
General Information
The street parade takes place on Whit Sunday, May 24, 2026. It starts at 1:30 PM at the intersection of Frankfurter Allee and Proskauer Straße. From there, the parade moves along Karl-Marx-Allee to Berolina Straße.
Due to a multi-year construction site on Gneisenaustraße, the parade has been held in Friedrichshain since 2025. The special atmosphere will, of course, be preserved.
The festival takes place from May 22 to 25, 2026, around Blücherplatz in Kreuzberg. You can expect a diverse program of music, art, culinary delights, and space for encounters.
You can find the starting numbers and the order of the parade groups in the “Caravan in Order” overview.
All information regarding performance times and stages can be found in the current stage program.
Getting There
We recommend traveling by public transport, ideally via Alexanderplatz. From there, you can quickly reach the parade route.
There are also many stops along the route, especially on the U5 line, such as U Frankfurter Tor. We recommend not traveling via S+U Frankfurter Allee. Plan for a little extra time and arrive as early as possible.
The street festival around Blücherplatz is easily accessible via the Hallesches Tor, Mehringdamm, and Möckernbrücke stations.
Since the grounds are extensive, you can arrive from various directions. The best way to travel is environmentally friendly: on foot, by bike (to the designated parking areas), or by bus and train.
We advise against traveling by car. There are extensive road closures and increased traffic volume. Public transport is a much more relaxed choice.
Bicycles are not allowed on the street festival grounds. However, free bicycle parking is available on-site.
At the street parade, bringing bicycles is generally possible, but we advise against moving through the crowds with them.
Safety & Conduct
The Carnival of Cultures thrives on respectful togetherness. Please behave in a way that makes all visitors feel safe and welcome.
This includes following the instructions of the police, fire department, security services, and the organizer at all times.
Please also note that entering the event grounds is at your own risk. With mutual consideration and attentiveness, we all contribute to a successful festival and parade.
To protect all participants, bringing certain items is prohibited. These include weapons and dangerous objects, glass bottles and cans, large or bulky bags, alcoholic beverages, and pyrotechnic articles. Animals (with the exception of assistance dogs) and loud mechanical noise instruments such as megaphones are also not permitted.
Our house rules can be found here.
You are welcome to capture the Carnival of Cultures with your own photos and videos, as long as this is done exclusively for private purposes. Professional recordings – for example, for film, television, or commercial use – are only permitted with prior authorization.
By entering the grounds, you also agree to potentially being photographed or filmed.
The sale of goods, the distribution of advertising material, or independent artistic performances are not permitted without the express permission of the organizer.
Please read our Code of Conduct, which forms the basis for respectful and safe togetherness.
You can find the contact points for our awareness team on the site maps and on-site.
Accessibility
We place great importance on accessibility at both the parade and the street festival. Along the parade route on Karl-Marx-Allee, near the Kino Kosmos, there is a viewing area for
wheelchair users. Covered seating and accessible toilets are also available there.
In addition, you will find further accessible sanitary facilities at various points along the route and on the street festival grounds.
If you have suggestions or ideas on how we can further improve accessibility, please feel free to write to us at info@karneval.berlin – we appreciate any feedback.
Environment
There is a sensitive area along the parade route: the median strip of Karl-Marx-Allee is a habitat for plants and some rare insects. Please show consideration for nature and follow the instructions of our volunteers (in yellow vests with our logo) on-site.
The Carnival of Cultures sees itself as a sustainable event, and your mindful treatment of the surroundings is an important part of that.
Please help keep the event clean and dispose of your waste at the designated points. There are various collection and deposit systems to assist you.
After the Carnival of Cultures, there will again be joint cleanup activities – the Clean-Up Day (feel free to join in!) – where dedicated participants clean the neighborhood. In this way, we take responsibility for our city together.
Information about our measures and how you can contribute to more sustainability yourself can be found in the “Sustainability” section.
Emergencies & Help
In urgent emergencies, you can reach the emergency services and the fire department at 112 and the police at 110. Do not hesitate to call for help or contact the staff on-site.
Several first aid stations are set up along the parade route in Friedrichshain and at the street festival in Kreuzberg. These are managed by Johanniter-Unfallhilfe and are clearly signposted.
Should you need assistance, you can go there at any time or speak to the staff on-site.
Site map with locations
Mobile police stations are set up at both the parade and the street festival. These are located at various points along the route or in the festival area and are also marked on the site maps. You can contact them at any time with questions or problems.
Site map with locations
In the event that children lose sight of their companions, there are central meeting points for children. At the parade, this is located in Straße der Pariser Kommune; at the street festival, it is in Blücherstraße behind the Sound Avenue stage.
We recommend that you give your children your phone number as a precaution, e.g., on a note in their pocket or written clearly visible.
On the grounds, you will find several site maps on construction fences to help you with orientation.
At the street festival, there is also a central info stand in front of the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche on Zossener Straße. There you can ask questions, give feedback, or get information in person.
There is no info stand at the street parade itself. We therefore recommend getting information online in advance (on our Instagram channel or our website) or picking up info material at the info stand at the street festival. Additionally, volunteers in yellow vests with the Carnival of Cultures logo will be around and happy to help you.
If you find something or have lost something, you can go to the “Ketering” stand next to our info stand (in front of the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche on Zossener Straße). Lost property is collected and managed there.
Items not picked up will be handed over to the Central Lost Property Office Berlin after the event. Please note that registration there may take some time.
