Preview of the year 2007 in Munich

In the last couple of years Munich has hosted large events such as the football World Cup and the German national garden show (BUGA). This year there are no such big events. One of the great things about living in Munich, however, is that as we move through the months and seasons there is a constant rotation of different things to keep us entertained. Here's a quick preview of what's going on in 2007:

January

Will it even snow this year? There was a dusting on November 1st, but since then the temperatures have been spring-like. The ten-day weather forecast does suggest sub-zero temperatures and snow will arrive third week of January. Whether we're going to have a proper winter with heavy snowfalls, however, remains to be seen.

In the meantime:

• Münchner Eiszauber, the open-air ice rink on Karlsplatz, remains open until January 28th.
• Carnival ball season starts Friday Januar 19th, continuing through to Faschingsdienstag on Febuary 20th.

February

• Munich Security Conference - weekend Febuary 9th - 11th. Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin will be in town, along with 300 politicians, military leaders and scholars from around the world. This conference is usually accompanied by various anti-NATO demonstrations.
• Fasching Tuesday (Carnival) - Febuary 20th
• Ash Wednesday - Febuary 22nd, start of the fasting time, also known as Starkbierzeit. Continues through until Easter Sunday, April 8th

March

• Starkbierfest - Friday March 9th through to Sunday 25th

April

• Easter Sunday - April 8th
• Anna Netrebko und Rolando Villazón at the Philharmonie in the Gasteig, Thursday 12th
• Frühlingsfest - Spring festival on the Theresienwiese, Friday April 20th to Sunday May 6th
• Maidult - April 28th to May 6th

May

• Blade Night - roller blading parades through the city, every Monday from the start of May through to the end of August, weather permitting.
• Lange Nacht der Musik - Saturday 12th

June

• Start of summer and we have the summer festivals, barbequeing in the parks, open air cinema, and surfing and raft-riding down the Isar
• Streetlife Festival - Leopoldstraße, Schwabing, weekend of the 9th and 10th
• Tollwood summer festival - Olympia park, June 14th to July 8th

July

• Klassik am Odeonsplatz - 9pm Sunday 1st, open air classical concert on Odeonsplatz
• Christopher Street Day - gay and lesbian celebration, weekend 14th and 15th
• Cooks ball - 6am Sunday 15th, at the Chinese Tower
• Japanfest - Sunday 15th, at the Japanese tea house in the English Garden
• Auer Dult (Jakobidult) - July 28th to August 5th
• Anna Netrebko und Rolando Villazón at the Philharmonie in the Gasteig, Saturday 21st

On 1st of the month a general ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces comes into effect in the UK. Germany has ruled out a similar ban on a nationwide scale, but the individual states are free to implement their own bans. Berlin has already suggested that it will do so, although no timeline has yet been decided. There are rumours that Bavaria may consider a ban. Some people hope that a smoking ban will apply in Munich from July 1st, but it seems unlikely it will even any time this year.

August

• Sommerfest im Olympiapark - 2nd to 17th
• Sommerfest am Viktualienmarkt - Saturday 4th

September

• Streetlife Festival - weekend 15th and 16th, Leopoldstraße in Schwabing
• Oktoberfest - from September 22nd to October 7th. It's not too early to make reservations. In fact, it may even be too late already.

October

• Lange Nacht der Museum - Saturday 20th
• Auer Dult (Kirchweihdult), 20th to 28th October
• Systems - the IT trade fair that used to be big but that nobody goes to any more, 23rd to 26th

November

• Sixdays indoor cycling races at the Olympiapark, 9th to 14th

December

• Christmas markets and the Tollwood winter festival - throughout December
• The extension of the U-Bahn U3 through to the Olympia shopping center should be open by the end of the year

If you have further tips to include, post them up here. See also TT's calendar of events for further listings about concerts, shows, and meet ups.

July 28th, The 2nd Annual Expats in Silver Hats Party at the Hofbraeukeller.

And the approx. time frame for the 2007 Chili Cookoff?

Sunday March 11th - St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Munich St Patrick's Day Parade website

C-B-R - 22-26 February (Camping, Boating And Recreation Show, Messe Munich)
Velo-city 2007 - 12-15 June (Streetlife-Festival)
Forum Vini - November 9th to the 11th

TT Andechs Trip - Sat 7th April?

Vini d'Italia - wide-ranging Italian wine fair with support from the Slow Food movement. 26th February, Praterinsel

Oh Jesus!

Kocherlball from 6AM on the Sunday after CSD.