30. Kinder-Karneval der Kulturen Berlin

The Younger Sibling Parade

While the big Karneval der Kulturen sets Berlin in motion on Whitsun Sunday with over a million visitors, the Kinder-Karneval on the Saturday before has its own magic: here the floats are smaller, the dance groups younger, the stories often more precise. Each school, kindergarten, or club group has chosen its own theme, sometimes prepared for weeks or months, built its own floats, and rehearsed its own choreographies.

Motto 2026: VIVA EL AXOLOTL

The motto 'VIVA EL AXOLOTL – FOREVER YOUNG!' uses the Mexican axolotl salamander as a symbol: an animal that never grows up but retains its larval form throughout its life – and also has the ability to regenerate. A beautiful metaphor for children who are allowed to reinvent their identity, their dreams, and their art again and again.

The Parade

The start is at 12 p.m. at Mariannenplatz in Kreuzberg (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district). The route traditionally leads through Kreuzberg's main streets: Mariannenstraße, Skalitzer Straße, Adalbertstraße, Oranienstraße. After about 3 kilometers, the parade ends at Heinrichplatz or Mariannenplatz itself – with a stage program, food stalls, and an after-show for the children's groups.

KMA – Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion

The organizer of the Kinder-Karneval is KMA – Kreuzberger Musikalische Aktion e.V. The association works year-round with Berlin schools and kindergartens: workshops on drumming, dance, float building, costume design. The parade is the public stage for this educational work – and thus also a political statement: children from all districts, all social classes, all cultural backgrounds in Berlin come together here.