Special events
April: Filmfest Dresden
When the Dresden Film Festival was held for the first time in 1989, it served to introduce films to the public, which before had been forbidden in the GDR. After the German reunification the main emphasis of the festival had to change inevitably. Since the cartoon studios of the DEFA were located in Dresden, the profile of the festival had been changed into a short movie and cartoon festival. It is now one of the most highly remunerated short movie festivals in Europe.
Mai: Dixieland Festival
Dresden each year becomes the European capital of the Dixieland. It is the greatest culture event in Saxony with approximately 500.000 visitors each year. The Jazzmeile (= mile of Jazz) in the Old Town will be accessible without an admission fee. However, the main part of the festival takes place in many clubs and bars.
May: Dresdner Musikfestspiele
Following a decision of the central committee of the SED (socialist party of the former GDR) and the ministerial committee of the GDR, the Dresden Music Festival is held every year in May/June since 1978. The main idea was to take up the tradition of the famous Dresden court festivals of the baroque era. The festivities then started with about 80 events with operas and ballets, chamber music and orchestra concerts as well as concerts from many areas of old music.
June – August: Filmnaechte am Elbufer
The film nights (= Filmnaechte) on the riverbanks of Elbe are Germany's largest open-air cinema festival. Besides movies of current and older films, concerts of well-known artists also take place. Since 2004 the greatest movable cinema screen of the world has been used with a projection area of 448 square meters. The projection area is 32 meters wide and 14 meters high. Turned by 90 degrees, the screen also serves the stage as a roof at concerts.
June: Bunte Republik Neustadt (BRN)
In an atmosphere of dejection about the failed utopias of a society model the Colorful Republic of the Neustadt was held as a political anti-establishment festival for the first time in June 1990. A micro-republic of it's own was proclaimed and a festival was celebrated in the district from June 22 to 24, 1990, exactly one week before the monetary union with West Germany took place. A "proper provisional government" was formed, governed by a "monarch and all possible and impossible secretaries of state. The government demanded a union with the Vatican. The limits of the little world of the colored republic of Neustadt were marked with a white line in the streets and contained the rectangle Bautzner Street, Königsbrücker street, Bishop Way, Priessnitzstrasse (this is also today's territory). Signposts were resplendent at the entrances with the label: 'The free territory of the Colorful Republic of Neustadt starts here.' In 1993 the "provisional government" was dissolved. The BRN as a district festival of the Neustadt has remained, however without the former political connotations.
June: Elbhangfest
The Elbhangfest is held annually in the suburbs close the Northern slopes of the Elbe. The Elbhangfest can be seen as the bourgeois variant of the Colorful Republic of Neustadt. It takes place since 1990. Delicacies are offered everywhere in the open and in charming restaurants and beer gardens. The festival is held in the unique river landscape and extends from the district Loschwitz to Pillnitz. Among other things a dragon boat regatta is regularly one of the highlights.
August: Stadtfest
The Dresden City Festival is the greatest party of the town. The complete Old Town and large portions of the New Town becomes a celebration mile. You find many cultural events and specialties for eating and drinking.
October: Dresdner Tage der Zeitgenoessischen Musik
For almost twenty years the Dresden Days of Contemporary Music are seen as one of the internationally leading festivals of contemporary music. In the garden city Hellerau the public experiences the whole range of the music of our time.
November – December: Striezelmarkt
During Christmas time the Striezelmarkt takes place in Dresden. This Christmas fair has been held since 1434 and is one of the oldest in Germany. It is one of the greatest tourist attractions in the year and normally is located on the old market. The name of the Christmas fair is deduced from his main product, the Dresden Christmas bread ('Striezel'). A highlight of the market is the celebration of the Dresden Christmas bread, the world famous Stollen.
