Your „Summer in the City“ in Cologne

Barcelona, Lisbon and Rome are too far away? Then head to Cologne. In the largest city in NRW, you can experience the perfect „Summer in the City“. Whether it's art and culture, sport, gaming or partying - there are plenty of exciting events taking place in the cathedral city and its surroundings in the coming weeks, from which you can create your own personal summer programme. Grab three friends and book your „Citytrip4friends“. At Cologne-Riehl Youth Hostel, young members between the ages of 16 and 26 receive a 4-bed shared room with shower/WC including breakfast for two nights at a one-off fixed room price of 239 euros. Families benefit from the special price „3 for 2“ and the 3 and 5-day family break.

Summer highlights in Cologne

• Summer Cologne (22 July - 20 August 2024)This free series of events is reason enough for a summer city trip to Cologne. Under the motto „The city is the stage“, the city offers a colourful programme of street and children's theatre, music, dance and film events and much more at many locations. Popular highlights include the Headphone cinema, Harbour sounds and the Singing beer garden.
• naturstrom openair cinema (30 July - 15 September 2024, longer if the weather is good)In the middle of Cologne's most extraordinary open-air event space with a view of the cathedral, the summer cinema in Rheinauhafen has been showing a diverse programme mix of new films and popular classics for almost 20 years. You can also look forward to some highlights, such as the Open Air Poetry Slam, Stand Up 221 (Comedy Opem Mic) and the Crazy Comedy Club. On the occasion of Gamescom, the Open Air Gaming Nights will take place every evening from 21.08.-24.08. from 6 pm, where you can play your favourite games in the open air.
• Eat Play Love (15-18 August 2024)This unique festival for young people, sports fans and families will once again take place at Fühlinger See in Cologne in August. As the name suggests, in addition to culture and music, the festival also offers food in the form of street food delicacies from all over the world and sport: thanks to its regatta course, the best wakeboarders in the world can compete against each other at the festival at Fühlinger See as part of the IWWF European Pro Tour. Wake4Good also sees six teams, each consisting of two professional wakeboarders and two celebrities, compete against each other. Each team rides on behalf of a charitable partner foundation.
• gamescom (21-25 August 2024) and gamescom city festival (24-25 August 2024): At the end of August, gamescom not only brings digital games to Cologne, but also the gamescom city festival. Free concerts by well-known artists and bands, street food and lots of other entertainment await you in the city centre.
• Cologne Night (7 September 2024): Just outside Cologne, at the Otto-Maigler-See in Hürth, this beach party is taking place for the 26th time this year. Once again, the event is all about Cologne culture and joie de vivre. You can look forward to well-known Cologne bands such as Höhner, Domstürmer, Brings and Klügelköpp, Cologne specialities and drinks and an exuberant atmosphere at one of the most beautiful lidos in North Rhine-Westphalia.
• Spectaculum Medieval Festival (21-22 September 2024): At the end of the summer, medieval fans and families head to Fühlinger See. Knights, jugglers, sutlers and craftsmen set up their tents there for a weekend and invite you on a journey back in time between the 6th and 15th centuries. You can experience the camp and clan life of the past, watch musicians, artists and magicians and witness the colourful hustle and bustle at the medieval market.
• Kölle sings (29 September 2024): At the end of September, the traditional event „Kölle singt“ will return to the LANXESS arena for the eighth time. Those who attend can look forward to an unforgettable evening full of Cologne music and emotion. Oli Niesen, frontman of Cat Ballou, will be there for the first time and will make the arena sing together with the audience and protagonist Björn Heuser.