Concerts and events in front of and within the grounds of festively lit castles, stunt shows and cinema action in Filmpark Babelsberg or festivals and medieval castle spectacles – Potsdam boasts a host of cultural events that are celebrated year for year. What is unique and fascinating is above all the atmosphere of the event locations. lt is not just the famous scenery of Potsdam's palaces and gardens – even churches, convents and monasteries, villas and manor houses, lakes and parks throughout the region provide the perfect setting for music and dance, theatre events and festivals. Foto: © Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci/Mathias Marx

August 18th - October 5th
For five years now, Michael Lüder has committed himself to the disappearance of “part of the Berlin Wall” in Potsdam and Berlin. He is reconstructing the course of the former German-German border in and around Potsdam and photographing historically important places, whose appearance has lost the historic dimension of the “wall”. For these photos, he chooses colour as a means of design and the evening or the night as the time of day.

12th September
Because of its beautiful view, Friedrich Wilhelm IV had the Belvedere Castle on Pfingstberg built around 1850 according to his own plans. During his journey to Rome in 1829, he got architectural ideas for this building, so that numerous Roman buildings were the inspiration for it. Belvedere is one of the towns most beautiful outlook points. On moonlit nights, visitors have the rare opportunity to experience the building festively illuminated and to enjoy the great view of the towns lights.

September 6th - September 14th
Every year, the jazz festival is a much heeded event, which is followed with great interest by jazz music fans and musicians alike. In the meantime, it has distinguished itself as a highlight of municipal cultural life. The festival of jazz music lives on the presentation of the regional and national jazz scene through to internationally renowned stars in a great number of backdrops in town.
Various concert venues.

August 30th - September 13th
The Bachtage Potsdam (the days of Bach), the only Bach festival in Berlin and Brandenburg, are taking place for the sixth time now. From 1st to 9th September, the musical festival will present an abundance of Bach’s works, but also compositions and improvisations from a later time performed by well-known interpreters. Under the motto “Pieces of Johann Sebastian Bach for People of Today”, the variety of Bach’s work is celebrated with exemplary performances in significant locations.

Until 21st September
“La Pastorale à Sanssouci” entices you into the land of desires and longings of court society and also of the flute-playing king: to Arcadia. Figures that visitors have possibly already met before at the castle and in the park, now appear in person before the eyes and ears of the audience in an impressive series of transformations. Part of the music dates back to Frederick II himself.

21st - 22nd September
Get into the colourful world of kites and join in! The kite festival for pupils with workshops for the construction of kites, competitions and a supporting programme starts on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, kite experts from all over Europe will fill Wiesenpark (a park in the meadows and part of Volkspark) and show their skills in the sky.

27th September
Anyone who knows Nigel Kennedy is aware that a most profoundly serious artist’s personality, uniting several souls, is concealed behind the non-conformist façade. His most recent publication #A Very Nice Album# also bears testimony to Kennedy’s comprehensive musical cosmos. With his excellent Polish jazz musicians, he exclusively plays his own compositions comprising jazz, blues and rock music, which are at times melancholic, then ecstatic and wild again. In this concert, the Nigel Kennedy Quintet merges with Filmorchester Babelsberg – you may expect an evening when sparks fly.