Music Festivals in Munich in 2022

It's hard to avoid festivals of one kind or another no matter what time of the year you go to Munich in Germany. This Bavarian city is one that truly loves to have a good time, and even if a festival isn't particularly a music festival, guaranteed there'll be music playing somewhere.

While it's hard to ignore Munich's biggest yearly event, Oktoberfest, or the Auer Dult market and funfair that takes place in the city three times a year, they're not the events that this guide is all about. This guide concentrates on those festivals in Munich in 2022, with a focus on live music more than anything else.

Summer is the time when the most music festivals happen in Munich. Summertime music festivals in Munich are held outdoors in the city's amazing parks and event venues. That all changes in winter, Munich is a cold place, and you'll find that what would probably be classed as a festival in Munich suddenly morphs into Munich concerts as soon as there's a chill in the air.

Whether it's indoor or outdoor, a summer festival, or a wintertime live music concert, there's one thing you can't do, and that's turn up with bags. When you need somewhere to leave your bags, look for a Bounce luggage locker in Munich. You'll find Bounce luggage storage facilities in convenient locations across the city. All Bounce luggage lockers are sealed with security tags when you drop your belongings off, and for double safety, they're fully insured too. Luggage storage in Munich doesn't get better than that.

Once your luggage is stored, you'll be free to make your way to all the amazing events in town. And, if you need help with that, check out our guide on how to get around Munich.

The Best Music Festivals In Munich In 2022

Tollwood Festival

The Tollwood Festival is one of Munich's main music festivals, and it happens twice a year. Once in the summer and then again in the winter. The summer event is held in Munich Olympiapark, and the winter event is at the Theresienwiese event venue.

The Tollwood Summer Festival of 2022 starts on the 16th of June and continues until the 17th of July. That's a mega thirty-two days' worth of live music emanating from the Olympiapark. The performances don't just take place on one single stage but in various large tents set up around the park, and the performers are from all over the world.

The Tollwood Festival isn't just about music, although there will also be mega concerts every night in what is known as the Musik Arena, the Olympic Stadium. Who's performing? 80's stars like Bonnie Tyler, Chris Norman, Simple Minds, and a whole host of others.

There are world-class circus acts, theater performances, and daredevil high wire walkers. Art is a big theme of the festival, too, although many of the creations aren't in Olympiapark but are displayed at galleries around Munich. Another big part of the festival is the Market of Ideas, where there are stalls offering organic produce and handcrafted items.  

The Tollwood Winter Festival begins on the 24th of November and doesn't end until the New Year has been rung in. The Tollwood Winter Festival Christmas market is the biggest in Bavaria and hosts around 200 individual vendors.

The wintertime event is very similar to the summertime one, and as well as live music performances, there's theater, dance, and a circus. In true German tradition, the event folds with all attendees waltzing around the Theresienwiese. It's a fantastic way to ring in the new year and keep warm at the same time.

If you're planning on attending the winter festival, keep an eye on the official website for the main acts to be announced, then get your ticket quick. This is one of those events that's always a sell-out.

Angertorstraßenfest

The Angertorsrassenfest is a street festival that is part of gay pride week in Munich. It's a special one-day festival primarily focused on the lesbian community and is held on the street in the Glockenbach district of the city, which gives the festival its name. The festival is usually held on the first Saturday of gay pride week, which this year falls on the 2nd of July.

Greenfields Open Air Festival

If you're looking for a 12-hour-long outdoor rave, then the Greenfields Open Air Festival is the one for you.

The Greenfields Open Air Festival takes place on the 9th of July at the racecourse in Munich-Riem. It's one of the major electronics festivals of the year and usually draws capacity crowds numbering in the thousands.

The first DJs take to the stage at 11 am, so make sure you get an early breakfast if you're planning on raving the day away here. Some of the DJs who will be playing sets are Maceo Plex, Karotte, Sven Valle, and Adriatique.

Free and Easy Festival

The Free and Easy Festival is a series of indoor and outdoor concerts held at a special events venue called Backstage. The first acts take to the stage on the 21st of July and the last ones on the 6th of August.

It's a somewhat eclectic location with a garden patio, lots of plants, and several stages, but the groups are top-notch, and admission is not overpriced.

The main music focus is rock and metal, but there are some nights presented by DJs playing hip hop, house, and techno. You can see the full schedule of artist and group appearances published on Backstage's official website.

Backstage is located in the western section of Munich. It's easy enough to get to, though, as it's just a few minutes on foot from the Hirschgarten S-Bahn station. Using the S-Bahn electric rail system is by far one of the best ways of getting around Munich, especially if you're attending concerts or a festival.

Munich Open Air Summer Festival

The Munich Open Air Summer Festival is a series of concerts held on the terrace of the Munich Residence. The concerts take place between the 7th and 24th of August and are a mix of music genres that are as different as classical is to pop or flamenco.

The concerts are popular events, and seating is limited, so if you're going to be in Munich on the right dates and want to attend one of the performances, make sure to get your tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased from the Kulturgipfel website.

The Roofs Festival

The Roofs Festival is a major event on Munich's festival calendar for 2022. Beginning on the 11th of August and continuing through to the 21st of the month, The Roofs is part of the celebration of the European Championship in the city.

The Roofs Festival will be held in Olympiapark in 11 differently themed locations which will be focused on music, art, and technology, to name just three. The main live music events will occur under the Central Roof and feature German and international artists performing multiple music genres. There will also be choir and orchestral performances plus a special area for children's activities.

The accompanying sporting events don't include football but consist of sports like gymnastics, volleyball, rowing, cycling, and triathlons. If you're feeling energetic during the day, you can take a turn at trying out all of the nine different sports represented in the championship. Do them all, and you'll be presented with a souvenir badge to take home.

Superbloom Festival

The Superbloom Festival is due to take place at the beginning of September. This weekend-long festival is held over the 3rd and 4th of the month in Olympiapark by the side of Olympic Lake in Munich. It should not be confused with a festival of the same name that takes place in Hurricane, Utah, in the United States on the 10th of September. Purchase tickets to the wrong one, and you could find yourself feeling very disappointed.

The Superbloom Festival in Munich is two days of class acts like Rita Ora, the Glass Animals, Willow, and the new British and Eurovision mega-star Sam Ryder plus DJs like Calvin Harris and David Guetta as well as countless more performers of note.

2022 will be the inaugural Superbloom Festival in Munich, so attending it would be a first for you and everyone else who goes there. There's a lot more to expect than star performers as there are art exhibitions, dance performances, and magic too. It may be the first Superbloom Festival in Munich, but guaranteed, it won't be the last.

Concerts In Munich In 2022

If the dates of your visit to Munich don't coincide with any of the city's many music festivals, then you always have the option of checking out who's performing at the Olympiahalle.

The Olympiahalle is a massive indoor arena in Olympiapark with over 15,000 seating capacity.

There are concerts held in the Olympiahalle practically all year round, and it's often the venue chosen by international stars. In 2022, artists like Guns and Roses, Harry Styles, Alicia Keys, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Backstreet Boys will all take to the stage here.

When visiting Munich, it's a good idea to check what's happening at Olympiahalle to ensure you don't miss out on seeing your favorite artist.

Music Festivals To Look Out For In 2023 In Munich

Long Night Of Music

The Long Night Of Music is usually the first music festival in Munich, so it kicks off the season. It's held outdoors at a renovated industrial site, or if the weather is bad, in various buildings on the site. Most acts are local bands with great reputations playing jazz, indie, soul, and pop. There is also a special performance area for students from the University of Music and Performing Arts.

The Long Night Of Music is one of the events in Munich that is free to attend for the most part. Admission is charged for the late-night party, though, when the bands have unplugged for the night. The After Party features several well-known DJs playing sets of techno and electronic music from 10:30 pm to 3 am.

The Long Night Of Music took place in 2022 on the 7th of May, so keep an eye out as the date for 2023 is likely to be around about the same time.

Rockavaria

There's no fixed date set for 2023 for the Rockavaria festival, and whether or not it will actually take place is still something that's up in the air. Heavy rock fans should check online after the beginning of the year to see if the next Rockavaria is announced.

In previous years, Rockavaria has taken place on the Königsplatz and featured some of the top international rock bands and artists. Think Kiss, Iggy Pop, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Poets of the Fall. If you're a serious rock fan, you'll want to make sure you don't miss the next Rockavaria in Munich.

Planning on spending a few more days in Munich?

If you're planning to spend three days in Munich or are here for longer than it takes to attend the concert or festival you're going to, you'll want to do more than sleep off the party from the night before.

Munich is a fascinating city on all levels, and while it is Germany's third-biggest city it's explorable on foot. You don't need to go on some of the best hikes in Munich to get quality outdoor time. There are great walks you can enjoy right in the city center in the English Garden.

The best museums in Munich are world-class. If you're a car addict, you won't miss looking at the century's worth of cars in the BMW Museum. If you're into the arts, you won't want to skip browsing around the Bavarian National Museum. While it may not be in Munich itself, you should make the trip out to Neuschwanstein Castle if you get the chance. That, like the rest of Munich, is something that has to be seen firsthand to be truly appreciated.