The annual Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin, Germany, is a multicultural festival that occurs Saturday through Monday. (iStock)
Those who work and go to school according to the U.S. calendar of federal holidays are looking forward to Memorial Day, falling on Monday, May 25 in 2026. Equally happy are their counterparts in Belgium, France, Germany and many other European lands, who’ll be enjoying a public holiday of their own, Whit Monday (also referred to as Pentecost Monday) on this same day. This fortuitous alignment of dates amounts to plenty of happenings across the long weekend, and here are some places to make the most of it:
Jazz in Brussels: The city’s most sumptuous landmarks are all the more visit-worthy through Sunday, as the Lotto Brussels Jazz Weekend remains in full swing. The Grand Place, Place Sainte-Catherine and Place de la Bourse serve as open-air stages for both well-known names and aspiring musicians to work their magic on eager audiences. Bars and clubs host artists too, meaning visitors can enjoy ambiances as varied as the music itself. Those in search of laid-back sounds might wish to make way to Les Halles Saint-Géry and The Brasserie, site of the Busker Blues Sessions. Dancers have their day on Sunday, when a “salsa matinee” begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Place Sainte-Catherine.
More than 100 concerts round out this year’s agenda. Entry to performances across all public spaces is free of charge. Nightclubs and bars may charge cover fees. Online: lottobrusselsjazzweekend.be
Multicultural festival in Berlin: For 30 years, the German capital has been celebrating the diversity of its population through the Karneval der Kulturen, a street party of vast proportion. The festival’s beating heart is found in and around the Blücherplatz in the district of Kreuzberg, the world-famous part of town known for its countless cafés, street art and status as multi-cultural melting pot.
Through Pentecost Monday, stages and street corners serve up a tempting mix of live music, theater and interactive performances, craftsmen show off and sell their creations, and foodies face the dilemma of choosing which country’s cuisine to indulge in next. The event’s highlight is Sunday’s grand parade, set to kick off from near Frankfurter Allee at 1:30 p.m. on May 24. Some 5,000 marchers, to include Brazilian sambistas, African drum corps, Asian lion dancers, stilt walkers, and other troupes in flamboyant costumes will delight well over half a million spectators late into the evening. Entry to the parade and festival area is free of charge; donations help to offset organizational costs. Online: karneval.berlin
Africa Festival in Würzburg: As per custom, this elegant Franconian city celebrates the long Pentecost weekend with its International Africa Festival, billed as Europe’s biggest festival for African music and culture. Through May 25, the cultural richness of the African continent and the Caribbean is on full display at this site by the Friedensbrücke, along the Main River.
Visitors can spend hours browsing through the delights of a bazaar offering clothing, fabrics, jewelry, sculptures, traditional masks, art, musical instruments, CDs and other items. Authentic African tastes can be sampled at a food court. Live bands from Benin, Cuba, Mali, Madagascar, South Africa, Senegal, the Cape Verde Islands and the Congo feature in this year’s musical line-up. The festival’s 36th edition pays tribute to Bob Marley on what would have been his 80th birthday with his music, a photo exhibition and the screening of an autobiographical film.
The International Africa Festival runs from 11 a.m. to midnight each day and is a ticketed event. Day passes for entry to the festival grounds (but not the big-name concerts, which take place at the Congress Center) go for 15 euros for adults and 10 euros for school age children. Those under 12 enter free of charge. Online: africafestival.org/en
Rowing event in Venice: On Pentecost Sunday each year, Venice celebrates local maritime tradition with an event known as the Vogalonga. Traditional Venetian gondolas are joined by kayaks, canoes, dragon boats and all other manner of paddlecraft along an 18-mile, non-competitive course. In a typical year, some 7,000 to 8,000 rowers propel around 2,000 vessels. Participants are a mix of both amateurs and professionals, from newly-minted kayakers to members of prestigious rowing clubs, and all finishers receive the same medal and diploma upon completion of the course. The event, first staged in 1974 as a peaceful protest against the growing number of motorboats in the Venetian lagoon, remains true to its cause, serving as a one-off day when human-powered boats once again rule the waterways.
Participants set out from St. Mark’s Basin, pass through the canals of Murano, along the Rio di Cannaregio, and finish in the Grand Canal. The Vogalonga begins at 9 a.m., and most paddlers cross the finish line from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Registration to participate has already closed for this year, but joining the tens of thousands of spectators is a fun option too. Day-trippers should bear in mind the need to pay Venice’s access fee. Online: vogalonga.com/en
