Berlin Senior Choir Festival in Britzer Garten

125 Years of Chorverband Berlin

The Chorverband Berlin e.V. is the umbrella organization of Berlin choirs and one of the city's oldest musical associations — founded in 1901, thus celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2026. Over 250 choirs are members today, ranging from classical male and mixed choirs to women's choirs, children's, youth, and senior choirs. The Senior Choir Festival is one of its flagship events.

30 Years of Tradition in Britzer Garten

The Senior Choir Festival has been held since 1991 — continuously, every summer, always in Britzer Garten. Some of the early choirs are still participating today: the Ernst-Busch-Chor and pro musica Treptow have been singing since the beginning. 2026 marks the 30th edition — an occasion to extend the festival to two days for the first time and to invite choirs from outside Berlin for the first time.

Format and Schedule

• Festival grounds by the lake in Britzer Garten with an open-air stage
• Up to 20 choirs per day, each performance approx. 30 minutes
• Genres: Pop classics, traditional folk songs, church music, Schlager, choral classics, occasionally contemporary pieces
• Sing-along program: the audience joins in on well-known songs
• Moderation: Johanna Blumenthal has been a regular moderator for years
• Admission to Britzer Garten is required (day ticket), the concert itself is free of charge

Britzer Garten as a Venue

Britzer Garten is one of Berlin's most beautiful parks — created in 1985 for the Federal Garden Exhibition, today it is a 90-hectare garden with a lake, themed gardens, a miniature railway, and festival grounds. Located in the Britz district (Neukölln borough), entrance Sangerhauser Weg 1. The festival grounds by the lake offer a natural amphitheater-like stage situation with a view of the water — summer conditions that make singing under the open sky a ritual.

Who Attends

The audience primarily consists of Berlin senior citizens — regular visitors, relatives of the singing choir members, plus a growing proportion of younger listeners who discover the format as culturally and historically interesting. Family-friendly (children can enjoy the park concurrently), accessible, with seating directly at the festival grounds.