International Barrel Organ Festival

The International Barrel Organ Festival 2025 transformed Breitscheidplatz and the surrounding areas of City West into a vibrant soundscape of barrel organs over a summer weekend. Around 130 players from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Chile, England, Estonia, Sweden, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan traveled to the event.

As in previous years, stationary concerts in front of the fountain alternated with walking acts in historical Berlin costumes. The repertoires ranged from classical Bach and Mozart arrangements to Berlin operettas and folk songs, as well as modern hits. The highlight was the joint concert in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, where up to twenty barrel organs played together – a unique acoustic event of its kind.

Admission was free, as always, and the players collected donations between sets. In 2025, the festival thus continued Berlin's tradition of freely accessible public festivals in City West and laid the groundwork for the 2026 edition.