This love of beer is embodied in the country’s annual events and festivals which undoubtedly encourage the jovial supping of large quantities. Highlights of the annual calendar include Munich’s Oktoberfest and the nationally celebrated Fasching festival in February. January Festivals
Berlin Transmediale Festival: beginning at the end of the month and running into February, the Transmediale Festival in Berlin is now one of the world’s premier media arts events. Held at the Berlin Akademie der Kunste, the event sees exhibitions, talks, video screenings and a variety of cross-media events. Fasching: this is a festival observed throughout Germany and the equivalent of what many countries refer to as Mardi Gras. Germans celebrate the Fasching festival with genuine enthusiasm and it’s seen as a chance to let loose a little before the period of abstinence for the Catholic festival of Lent is observed. March Festivals
Munich Strong Beer Festival: also known as Starkbierzeit this annual event lasts for two weeks and is one of many festivals aimed at appreciating the Bavarian expertise of beer brewing. A wide variety of brews is available and all are amiably quaffed alongside traditional Bavarian food while performers treat the crowd to some traditional live music. May Festivals
Munich International Short Film Festival: not quite as prestigious as the Berlin International Film Festival but still a highly reputable event, the Munich International Short Film Festival sees screenings of a large number of productions from around the world with everything from Oscar-nominated works to relative unknowns. June Festivals
Classical Music Festival: throughout June, various German cities play host to important festivals of classical music with the Bach-Woche in Luneburg, the Schumann-Woche in Zwickau, the Europaische Wochen in Passau and the Handel-Festspiele in Gottingen and Halle. August Festivals
Gaubodenfest: held in Straubing, this is Bavaria’s second largest festival after the Oktoberfest in Munich. The theme is, as is quite often the case, based around beer and sees much revelry conducted while large amounts of traditional Bavarian brew is consumed. September Festivals
Berlin Literature Festival: as one of the biggest book festivals in the world, the Berlin Literature Festival is a prestigious event that sees a variety of related activities such as book and poetry readings, talks from famous authors, literary discussions and chances to become familiar with new and interesting works. October Festivals
Oktoberfest: stick around for the climax to this major German festival which sees more beer drinking, more live music and more general revelry. November Festivals
Martinsfest: this festival is observed by both Catholic and Protestant citizens of the country and is held in honour of both Saint Martin and Martin Luther. On this day, friends and relatives come together to make merry, consume traditional seasonal foods and drink large amounts of German red wine. | 
