What's on in Frankfurt, Germany through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Germany, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Busy — Easter holidays in Germany, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Busy — Easter holidays in Germany, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Peak crowds — Waeldchestag, Whitsun/Pentecost holidays in Germany

• Holiday

  Waeldchestag

  26 MayMajor festivalCrowded

  The Tuesday after Whitsun is the city's unofficial holiday: half of Frankfurt goes to the city forest, drinks cider under the trees and takes the day off without being entitled to it. Source ↗

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Waeldchestag (26 May)

Busy — Summer holidays in Germany, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Peak crowds — Museumsuferfest, Summer holidays in Germany

• Festival

  Museumsuferfest

  28–30 AugMajor festivalCrowded

  Three days on both banks of the Main at the end of August, with the museums open late and dragon boats on the river. Around three million people come, which the riverside path shows. Source ↗

Busy — Autumn Dippemess, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Autumn Dippemess

  11–27 SepMajor festivalCrowded

  The city's old crockery fair, now a funfair on the Ratsweg for a fortnight or so in September, with a bigger spring edition around Easter. Locals go for the cider tents, not the rides. Source ↗

Still on: Museumsuferfest (28–30 Aug)

Peak crowds — Frankfurt Book Fair, Autumn holidays in Germany

• Festival

  Frankfurt Book Fair

  7–11 OctMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Five days in October and the single worst week of the year to need a hotel room here: the trade fair fills beds as far out as Mainz and doubles the rate on what is left. Source ↗

• Nature

  Autumn in the Stadtwald

  8 Oct – 10 Nov · usuallyAutumn colour

  The city forest south of the river and the Palmengarten turn through October. It is the only season the Stadtwald is a reason to cross the Main rather than a place to run in.

Busy — Christmas market, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Christmas market

  23 Nov – 22 DecChristmas & New YearCrowded

  One of the oldest markets in Germany, spread from the Roemerberg down to the Hauptwache, so it feels busier than its size. The office crowd arrives from about five. Source ↗

Still on: Autumn in the Stadtwald (8 Oct – 10 Nov (usually))

Peak crowds — Christmas market, Christmas holidays in Germany

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Christmas market (23 Nov – 22 Dec)