Gay street festival

The Hans-Sachs-Straßenfest is a gay street festival in Munich.

The "Schwules Strassenfest" (Gay Street Festival) on Hans-Sachs-Strasse has developed into one of Munich’s biggest summer parties.

One Saturday in summer’s dog days at least 10,000 revellers flock to the Glockenbachviertel to eat, drink, dance and just generally party the day away. Munich plays host to many street festivals throughout summer but this, to my knowledge, the only one that caters specifically for the city’s gay community.

Part of Munich's Glockenbackviertel sparks up
for the gay street party in August.
Pic: (not taken in Munich) CarbonNYC

It complements the main gay and lesbian appointment on the Munich calendar, Christopher Street Day, which takes place in mid-July.

The Hans-Sachs-Straβenfest (as it’s traditionally known) was started in 1991 and seems to grow a little bit bigger every year. Two streets are closed to traffic for the event, the said Hans-Sachs-Strasse and Ick Strasse.

The Details

The Schwules Strassenfest traditionally takes place on the first Saturday after the Catholic holiday Maria Himmelfahrt (the Feast of the Assumption) which falls on 15th August.

Location: Along Hans-Sachs-Strasse and Ickstrasse, in the heart of Munich’s gay friendly Glockenbachviertel. See map to the right.
Directions: Take the underground train U1, U2, U3 or U6 to Sendlingertor. After emerging onto Sendlinger Tor Platz go left along Blumen Strasse, cross the road and continue along Müller Strasse. Hans-Sachs-Strasse is a little way down on your right.
Website: www.schwules-strassenfest.de
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
Hans.Sachs.Strassenfest.Muenchen
Phone: (organiser Johannes Schick: 0171 9350 170)
Email: HSSF@partybombe.de Advice: Due to the lack of space at the festival, organisers advice visitors to leave their bikes, prams, strollers and dogs at home.