Frankfurt Entertainment

The nightlife of Frankfurt is based on a mixture of beer gardens, bars and discos. The recent boom in nightlife has been dominated by the mainstream bars and clubs, but there is also a thriving independent party scene; Frankfurt is the home of techno and there is no shortage of dance and trance clubs throughout the city.

Nightlife

If you’re looking for a good night out, the best quarters to go to are in the northern part of the city around Sachsenhause, Fressgasse and Romerberg. The cobbled streets and lively atmosphere of Sachsenhause is a popular area, with a good choice of Latin, Irish and local bars. The university area of Bockenheim is also a good choice and has plenty of youthful, inexpensive cafés and bars.

Frankfurt's nightlife could best be described as eclectic, and there's a wide range of music catering to most tastes, whether you’re into African or Latin American, popular or jazz. The local club scene is heavily dance music-oriented, catering to mostly young crowds with a mixture of house and techno beats. Many places stay open until 04:00 during the week and even later at the weekends. The magazines which have details of local events are Prinz and Journal Frankfurt. There is also a busy gay scene, with no shortage of venues for those looking to party.

Theatre and music

Frankfurt has a lively performing-arts scene and a good choice in both music and theatre. The Old Opera House (Alte Oper) is the city’s most important and well-known concert hall. It plays host to the Frankfurt Museum Orchestra and a number of touring companies. The Schauspiel Frankfurt caters for more traditional German theatre, while experimental pieces are performed at places like the TAT and Mousonturm.

If you are looking for plays or musicals in English, then the appropriately named English Theatre has some excellent productions. Volkstheater Frankfurt has some classic plays by Shakespeare and Goethe as well as music and dance theatre on a more traditional level.

Festivals

There are many festivals to choose from throughout the year, with the highlights being:

• In March, the International Jazz Festival features impromptu concerts and big-name musicians at the city's many venues.
• The two main cultural events of the summer are the Sommerfest on Opernplatz, with a week of open-air live music and food at the end of June, and the Museumsuferfest, consisting of a three-day arts festival on the River Main.
• In the nearby suburb of Bad Vilbel, there is an annual theatre festival in the picturesque ruins of the Wasserburg Castle. The rebuilt castle acts as a perfect setting for summer theatre.