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Things to do in autumn besides Oktoberfest

From carnivals and street parties to light festivals and even a dash of Glühwein, there's an awful lot going on in Germany this autumn. So if you've decided to give Oktoberfest a miss this year, why not check out a few alternative ways to enjoy the cooler months?

Things to do in autumn besides Oktoberfest
Traditional carnival celebrations in Düsseldorf, beginning with the annual "Hoppeditz' Awakening." Photo: DPA

September 23 marks the 2015 Autumn Equinox – that moment which sees Europe wave goodbye to summer for another six months. So as autumn descends on Germany, we thought we'd give you a heads-up about the best ways to enjoy the season.

What is the autumn equinox?

On any given day of the year, either the Earth's northern or southern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun.  Between around March and September, it's the northern hemisphere – meaning we in Europe get our summer months. During the rest of the year, the southern hemisphere gets the best of the sun's warmth.

However, on two days each year – named Spring and Autumn Equinox – the earth's tilt is perpendicular to the sun's rays. At these times, day and night are of almost equal length.

With the 2015 Autumn Equinox falling on September 23rd, Europe officially welcomes in the autumn and winter months this week.

And what happens during the German autumn?

You're probably well aware of the annual Oktoberfest down in Munich. A monumental party that kicked off on September 19th this year and runs all the way until October 4th, Oktoberfest is perhaps the pinnacle of German autumn tradition.

But if downing Maß after Maß of beer in a tent with hundreds of tourists isn't your scene, here are a few other things happening around Germany during the autumn months:

1.       October 3rd – German Unity Day

Photo: DPA

An annual celebration of the day in 1990 when two Germanys officially became one, German Unity Day is a public holiday. Of course, this year it falls on a Saturday, so most of us won't feel the benefit of an extra day off work.

Either way, it's a day of partying and celebration across Germany. You'll find post offices, banks and many shops remain closed throughout the day, while in Berlin a big party sets up around the iconic Brandenburg Gate.

With live bands, food, drinks and fairground attractions, the annual three-day festival is not one to miss – especially this year, which marks the 25th anniversary of this historical turning point.

2.       October 2nd-18th – Berlin Shines

The theatre in Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt lit up for 2014's Berlin Shines festival. Photo: DPA

One of two dazzling illumination festivals in the capital, Berlin Shines – or Berlin Leuchtet – adds a bit of brightness to what can often be a dull time of year.

During the festival, some of the city's lesser-known but important buildings and structures are given a splash of colour – with a mix of light installations, lasers, video and 3D projections. Musical performances, fireworks and guided tours round off this city-wide phenomenon.

3.       October 9th-18th – Berlin Festival of Lights

Berlin Cathedral lit up for the 2014 Festival of Lights. Photo: DPA

It may be a week shorter, but Berlin's other illumination festival lights up what feels like the whole of the city. From the Brandenburg Gate to Berlin Cathedral, the Berlin Festival of Lights cloaks everything it touches in light and colour – creating a truly spectacular show.

The festival's currently in its tenth year. However, the 2015 show is set to raise the stakes, as six artists from across the world compete to create the most dazzling display and pick up the first ever Festival of Lights award.

4.       October 14th-18th – Frankfurt Book Fair

Visitors flock to the 2013 Frankfurt Book Fair. Photo: DPA

With the shortlist for this year's German Book Prize announced just last week, excitement is building for the 67th annual Frankfurt Book Fair this October.

The announcement of the 2015 German Book Prize winner will kick off the event, famed as the world's largest book fair.

From signings, interviews and performances to workshops and cooking demonstrations, events are held in numerous different languages. One for lovers of literature everywhere. 

5. October 24th – Museum Night in Cologne

Cologne Cathedral at night. Photo: DPA

Kicking off at 7pm and continuing through the night, the 15th annual Museum Night in Cologne promises a night of exploration, excitement and discovery.

Spanning 46 locations and over 200 events, the Museum Night promises visitors the chance to experience art in new ways, in a truly unique atmosphere across the whole city.

The locations are connected by five shuttle bus routes, and a single ticket earns visitors access to all of the exhibitions, plus free travel on the bus all night.

Sounds like a perfect night in the cultural metropolis of Cologne.

SEE ALSO´: Cologne's 10 must-see spots for culture vultures

6. November 11th – the beginning of Carnival Season

“Hoppeditz' Awakening” marks the start of carnival season in Düsseldorf. Photo: DPA

From November 11th until the following Ash Wednesday each year, Germany is alive with carnival spirit.

Rather confusingly, the celebrations have different names across Germany – while Cologne and Düsseldorf celebrate the start of Karneval on November 11th, for Berlin and Bavaria it's Fasching, and the Black Forest you'll find yourself welcoming in Fasnacht.

Either way, this very special day in November marks the beginning of carnival celebrations across Germany. From televised street parades in Cologne to the awakening of jester “Hoppeditz” in Düsseldorf, the Germans definitely know how to welcome in carnival season with a bang.

SEE ALSO: The Local's guide to Karneval

7. November 11th – St Martin's Day

Children carry lanterns during the 2011 St Martin's Day procession in Berlin. Photo: DPA

As if the launch of nationwide carnivals wasn't enough, November 11th is also the day of one of Germany's lesser-known religious traditions.

The event is a celebration of modesty and altruism – both qualities associated with St Martin of Tours, to whom the day is dedicated. However, it's also a chance to get together for evening lantern parades through towns and cities, followed by songs, sweet pastries and mulled wine (Glühwein) around a bonfire.

The celebration is particularly popular with children, many of whom build their own lanterns for the parades.

SEE ALSO: Celebrating St. Martin's Day in Germany

By Hannah Butler

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EVENTS

How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dressing up, singing, and drinking: On Friday, countless Jecken (revelers) in Cologne will once again celebrate the start of the Carnival session.

How Cologne is preparing for the start of Carnival on Friday

Dubbed Germany’s “fifth season” by locals, the event starts every year on November 11th at 11:11 am, and typically stretches into February or March, when colourful parades spill into the streets.

Carnival stronghold Cologne in particular is preparing for the onslaught of tens of thousands of people who will flock to its Altstadt (old town), and especially to the student quarter, starting early Friday morning. 

READ ALSO: 10 unmissable events in Germany this November

“Far too many people want to celebrate in far too small a space,” city director Andrea Blome told DPA. “We can’t stop anyone from coming to Cologne now.” 

More security this year

In the popular Kwartier Latäng student quarter, there have been regular bouts of drinking by young partygoers in the past, who crowded into a confined space, leaving litter everywhere and publicly peeing on the corners of buildings. 

Google Maps shows the location of the so-called Kwartier Latäng part of Cologne.

But with a new security plan, the city and police hope to keep the situation under control.

Several checkpoints and road closures have been set up to secure the safety of the revelers and relieve the burden on worried residents, according to Blome. Visitors will only be able to enter the closed-off area around Zülpicher Straße via a single access point. 

On Friday, Cologne is also set to send a total of 150 employees from the Ordnungsamt (public order office) onto the streets, who will be supported by 520 private security guards. 

A glass ban will again apply in the celebration zones, and several hundred toilets will be set up at the hotspots, “which nevertheless will probably not be used by all visitors,” Blome predicted.

READ ALSO: 10 words you need to know at Cologne’s Carnival

Up to 1,100 police officers are expected to be on duty on the day – about 200 fewer than last year, said head of operations Rüdiger Fink. But he expected to keep the situation “under control with a new security plan.”

What to expect

On Cologne’s Heumarkt, there will be a stage program all day with bands such as the Bläck Fööss, the Paveiern and Brings. 

Google Maps shows Cologne’s Heumarkt along the Rhine River.

According to the Willi Ostermann Society, about 10,000 tickets were sold in advance for the event, which will be aired by German WDR for several hours.

Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, the day will start at 11:11 a.m. with the “Hoppeditz Awakening” in front of City Hall. 

According to a spokesman, the police will be adequately prepared for the start of the season, with a particular focus on the Altstadt, where there will certainly be celebrations.

“But 11.11. is a very different event here in Düsseldorf than in Cologne,” he said, referring to a more orderly start and fewer guests.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about celebrating Carnival in Germany

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