In May, we celebrate the changing of the seasons. The sun is shining and it is much warmer during the day.
The days are longer and people are enjoying beer and “gemütlichkeit” in the beer gardens.
On the 1st of May (Mayday and also Tag der Arbeit), in most small towns, people will come together to put up the Maypole. Most will wear traditional clothes for the event. It is a tradition in smaller villages to steal each other’s poles. To get the Maypole back, the town has to pay a hefty ransom (mostly beer). Once the Maypole is up, the music, dancing, and feasting can begin.
The tradition of putting up a Maypole dates back to the 16th century. Other traditions include dancing or “Tanz in den Mai”, “Maisprung” or May Jump where the brave jump over bonfires at midnight.
Because it is also Workers Day, you can expect trade union marches.
In South Africa and Germany, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
Father’s Day is celebrated in June in South Africa but in Germany, it is celebrated on Ascension Day (Hemelvaart/Christi Himmelfahrt) and thus falls on a public holiday. Ascension Day is always on a Thursday.
Many of the public swimming facilities (Freibad) will open. Other swimming options are to swim in the ocean, a Baggersee, or a lake.
Swimming options Private swimming pools are not so popular in Germany, but there are good public swimming options available. Public swimming pools / Öffentliche Schimmbäder / Freibad Freiseitparks like Europapark Baggersee (Man-made lakes) Lakes The ocean / Nordsee or Ostsee Rules for swimming in Lakes Never dive/jump into a lake
With such beautiful weather, endless opportunities exist to indulge in fun outdoor activities. Whether you’re interested in hiking, biking, picnicking, or simply soaking up the radiant sunshine, the possibilities are endless.
Sports in Germany South Africans are generally a sport-crazy bunch. Not just watching it, but also actively taking part. Participating in sports here in Germany has its challenges, mostly due to the weather. But, as the German saying goes – there isn’t something like bad weather, only bad clothing and
| Season | Spring |
| Time | Central European Time (CET), Summertime – the same time as South Africa until the last Sunday of October, when Wintertime starts (29 October 2024). |
| Weather |
The average temperature is between 7.2 and 16.8 degrees Celsius. The days become longer and there are more hours of sunshine. |
Many towns will host spring festivals. Two famous ones are the Frühlingsfest in Munich and the one in Stuttgart.
Tip if you are interested in the Summer night concert in Schönbrunn, which is in June, get your tickets early.
| Holiday | Date | Information | States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Holidays | |||
| Tag der Arbeit / Worker's Day | 01.05.2024 | Tag der Arbeit / Worker's Day | All |
| Christi Himmelfahrt | 09.05.2024 | Christi Himmelfahrt / Ascension of Christ | All |
| Pfingstsonntag | 19.05.2024 | Brandenburg | |
| Pfingstmontag | 20.05.2024 | Whit Monday or Pentacost | All |
| Fronleichnam / Corpus Christi | 30.05.2024 | Corpus Christi | BW, BY, HE, NW, RP, SL |
| Observations | |||
| Father's Day | 09.05.2024 | All | |
| Mother's Day | 12.05.2024 | Same as in South Africa | All |
| School Holidays and Terms | |||
| Pfingstferien | Various | Shool Holidays |
06/05/2024 – 12/05/2024 @ 12:00 am – XJAZZ! Festival, Germany’s most famous jazz festival, which attracts more than 20,000 regional and international fans, celebrates its 10th Anniversary in Berlin Kreuzberg from 6 to 12 May 2024. This year’s lineup will be covering 7 days of music, featuring 80 diverse live and DJ acts, 9 indoor and outdoor venues, side events, as well […]
04/05/2024 – 05/05/2024 @ 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Experience the diverse flavours of African cuisine at the AFFB Spring Market – an exquisite celebration of African food, music & culture! Welcome to the AFRICAN FOOD FESTIVAL BERLIN – SPRING MARKET! Join us on Sat May 04 + Sun 05 2024 starting at 12:00 PM at Jules | B-Part for a weekend filled with delicious food, electrifying music, and unique shopping […]
03/05/2024 – 04/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Blak Allure is the very FIRST all African Acrobat show with Adelle Nqeto on 3/ 4 May This is an external event and not organised by us. It is shared for information purposes only Tickets on Eventim
17/05/2024 @ 7:00 pm – 11:45 pm – Lucy Kruger and The Lost Boys, an art-pop noise project, will do an intense show at the Orange Blossom Festival at Glitterhouse Garten, Beverungen, North- Rhine Westphalia (NRW) on 17 May 2024. With her calm voice South African-born and Berlin-based musician, Lucy Kruger fronts the band, whose music is melancholic and unreal thanks to its […]
23/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:45 pm – After his sold-out concert on 3 March, award-winning South African musician Bongeziwe Mabandla is back in Berlin on 23 May hours at the Kulturbrauerei. Mabandla is a South African award-winning singer, musician and songwriter from the rural town of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. He has recorded four highly acclaimed albums and has performed on […]
31/05/2024 – 02/06/2024 @ All Day – The African Picnic Festival at Goethe Institute in Schwäbisch Hall, Baden-Württemberg, is the brainchild of Mthunzi Fesi, a young South African, who is also a promoter for South African artists touring Europe. The festival was first hosted on 16 June 2014. This year, the ninth edition of the festival will take place from 31 May […]
24/05/2024 @ 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm – @Thabilé is a South African-born singer and was rightly chosen as “Artist of the Year 2023” at the African Festival Award (AFA) in Würzburg. Today, Thabilé lives in Stuttgart and campaigns for better coexistence, especially for the rights of women, who are not only oppressed in South Africa. Her songs tell of difficult living conditions […]
Asparagus season in Germany only lasts from April to June 24th. For ideas on how to make the most of the season, check out our updated Spargel page.
Also known as wild garlic or Ramsons. The taste is a cross between onions and garlic. Do not pick them yourself, as they can be mistaken for Lily of the Valley which is poisonous. Bärlauch can be added to omelettes, soups, and stews or used as a pesto. We recently added a page to our website with more information
Kohlrabi, also called German turnip or turnip cabbage is a nutritious vegetable that belongs to the brassica family. It has a fresh, slightly sweet taste, and can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes. For delicious Kohlrabi recipes, check out Chefkock for inspiration!
Rhubarb (der Rhabarber) is a versatile plant that can be used in many ways. It’s great in pies, desserts, compote, jams, chutneys, and savoury sauces. Chefs and home cooks love rhubarb’s unique tart flavour.
Indulge in the exquisite taste Maibock beer. This beer boasts a complex flavour that satisfies any palate.
| Maypole | der Maibaum |
| a state or feeling of warmth, friendliness, and good cheer. | die Gemütlichkeit |
| man-made quarry filled with water |
der Baggersee |
| Lake | der See |
| Ocean | das Meer |
| Beach | der Strand/der Badestrand |
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