Frankfurt, the bustling metropolis in the heart of Europe, has plenty to offer locals and visitors all year round. This fact naturally also holds true for 2019. Next year, Frankfurt will be attracting visitors from all across the globe with festive festivals, exciting exhibitions, scintillating sporting events and much, much more. 

Frankfurt is home to one of the densest and most diversified museum landscapes in all of Germany. The city’s renowned Museum Embankment features 13 magnificent exhibition venues, set side by side along the River Main like pearls on a string. There are of course many more museums spread throughout other parts of Frankfurt as well. One thing is certain: Fans of culture and the arts have plenty of highlights to look forward to in 2019. 

The Städel Museum, for example, will be showing an exhibition entitled “Van Gogh and Germany” (23rd October 2019 to 16thFebruary 2020). Nearby, the city’s brand-new Historical Museum will be attracting visitors with countless highlights for both young and old: Its oversized snow globe, for example, presents a selection of characteristics typical of Frankfurt. The recent find of the “Staufer Port” between the museum’s entrance building and the Saalhof is another impressive artefact. Museum visitors will also be able to learn about the current and future living conditions of locals here in Frankfurt with a special exhibition called “How do people live?” (16th May to 15th September 2019). One of the most popular Frankfurt attractions at the moment is the recently rebuilt old own with its harmonious blend of historical reconstructions and new buildings. Countless shops, cafés, museums and plazas invite visitors to this brand-new quarter to enjoy a leisurely stroll or a relaxing respite. Those interested in taking a more in-depth look at the subject are urged to pay a visit to the German Architecture Museum, where an exhibition by the name of “FOREVER NEW: FRANKFURT’S OLD TOWN – Building between Dom and Römer since 1900” will continue to be on show until 10th February 2019. The museum will also be celebrating the upcoming Bauhaus anniversary with an exhibition entitled “THE NEW HUMAN, NEW HOUSING – The Architecture of New Frankfurt 1925 – 1933” (23rd March until Summer 2019). 

Frankfurt joie de vivre, Frankfurt specialities and Frankfurt traditions are best experienced at one of the city’s many folk fairs. The Wäldchestag is one of the most popular of these. Held annually during the Whitsuntide, this traditional forest festival attracts revellers of all ages to the city’s municipal woods to celebrate what is commonly referred to as Frankfurt’s “national holiday”. The fair is particularly well known for its many beer gardens, fairground attractions and live music performances (08th to 11th June 2019). 

The Opera Square Festival, meanwhile, is a cultural celebration featuring foods from across the globe as well as a rich stage programme playing everything from jazz to pop. The evening atmosphere is particularly stunning, with the illuminated façade of Frankfurt’s Old Opera House bathing the festive plaza in a warm and beautiful light (26th June to 05th July 2019).

Sports fans, on the other hand, are known to await the IRONMAN European Championships with great anticipation. The ultra-endurance event, which requires participants to complete 3.8 kilometres of swimming, 180 kilometres of cycling and the small matter of a full marathon at its end, is known for its scenic backdrops and unique atmosphere. The setting at the finish line is particularly impressive, with runners arriving at the historical Römerberg while being cheered on by thousands of enthusiastic fans (14th July 2019).

Annually held in the heart of downtown Frankfurt, the Apple Wine Festival celebrates the locals’ beverage of choice. Here, visitors have the chance to sample the cider-like drink in all of its variations, that is, in its traditional form, as a trendy mixed drink or a summer cocktail. A mouth-watering selection of regional foods rounds off the festival’s culinary offer spectrum (09th to 18th August 2018).

The Museum Embankment Festival is known to be one of Europe’s largest and most spectacular cultural celebrations. Traditionally held on the last August weekend, the festival has participating museums remaining open until late into the night, while arts and craft items are available for sale at the countless stalls set up along the riverside. A colourful stage programme featuring music, dance, comedy and theatre provides entertainment for young and old. And no one need go hungry either, with culinary delights from around the world being offered at every turn (23rd to 25th August 2019).

Late summer is also the time when winemakers from the renowned Rheingau region come to the Fressgass’, Frankfurt’s culinary mile, to present their latest vinicultural creations. More than 600 varieties of red, wine and sparkling wine are available for tasting and purchase at the Rheingau Wine Market, ranging from noble vintages to light and fruity summer wines. Aside from the Rheingau’s world-famous Rieslings, connoisseurs will also find fine wines made of alternative grape varieties. The Frankfurt Wine Queen will also be on hand to meet and greet while promoting wines from Frankfurt’s municipal vineyard (28th August to 06th September 2019).

The year traditionally ends with the Frankfurt Christmas Market, one of the oldest and most beautiful in all of Germany. With its nostalgic yuletide atmosphere, the market transforms Frankfurt’s old town into a festive, brightly illuminated holiday setting. More than 200 sales stalls invite visitors to partake in a leisurely Christmas shopping spree. Advent concerts are held regularly on the open-air stage of the Römerberg, while the tower horns sound majestically from the balcony of St Nicholas Church (25th November to 22nd December 2019).

Source: Tourismus + Congress GmbH Frankfurt am Main