Hamburg Entertainment

Hamburg has a vibrant entertainment scene, with something to please everyone. From cinemas and theatre to the seedy Reeperbahn or the alternative art and music scene in Altona, visitors are spoilt for choice.

Nightlife

Hamburg bars and clubs stay open until 05:00 during the week. At the weekend, opening times are open-ended. Cult shops in the Schanze district, rustic bars in St Pauli and clubs and discos with DJs from all over the world make sure the Hamburg scene keeps moving and grooving. The popularity of clubs and bars changes as quickly as the trend in shoes. Every part of the city has its own charm, but the nightlife action is mostly concentrated in and around St Pauli. The Reeperbahn and the neighbouring red light district is the centre of Hamburg's legendary nightlife, and the club scene is also very visible in St Pauli, with most of the city’s dance clubs, trendy bars and erotic entertainment establishments being located here.

Theatre and music

Hamburg is blessed with more than 40 theatres, but for most of these, a good knowledge of German is necessary. An exception is the English Theatre of Hamburg.
Hamburg is a very musical city and is well-known for the fact that various members of the Beatles performed at several clubs around the Reeperbahn before the Beatles attained world-wide recognition. The city is also renowned as Germany's leading centre for musical productions, especially for musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber such as ‘Cats’ and ‘The Phantom of the Opera’.

Festivals

Hamburg hosts several annual festivals, which bring out the cheerful and joyous nature of its inhabitants. Among the more famous and established are:

• The Alster Fair is Hamburg's main summer festival. It's a great opportunity to spend a wonderful few days on the banks of the River Alster, which is lined with the port city's most stylish buildings. Against this beautiful setting, visitors can enjoy a varied range of shows and spectacles. From artistic and theatrical performances - with the option of some audience participation - to the International Fireworks Festival lighting up the skies every night, the fair is held over four days, with non-stop entertainment.
• Hamburg boasts a wide range of different markets over Christmas time, all to be found in the charming centre of the city. There are plenty of markets in Hamburg's suburbs, but visitors can get their fair share of atmosphere and mulled wine at the three major ones in the centre.
• The Dom is a fair with a long tradition. Over 280 stalls and activities offer crafts, food and amusements of all kinds over the vast area of the Heiligengeistfeld; the stalls go on for three and a half kilometres! Get shaken and stirred in one of the state-of-the-art rides or take it easy, chew on a stick of candy-floss and hitch a ride on the big wheel for a stunning view. From the top you can see over the revelry district of St Pauli and across to the River Elbe and the illuminated harbour.
• Clowns and belly dancers, jugglers and stilt walkers make Hagenbeck's Zoo a lively paradise for four Saturday nights in summer. More than 2,500 animals live in Germany's most impressive zoo and make up the background for the shows during the Jungle Nights.
• The Dragonboat Festival brings almost 100 teams and a huge crowd of spectators to Hamburg's rowing course at Allermöhe. Teams in two categories fight for the trophy. The German Dragonboat Society is represented with about 42 teams and there is also a fun category, made up of 54 teams from companies and clubs. The teams are organised in different classes, according to age and level of ability.