Dresden's event highlights: Celebrate and be amazed at the weekend!

Dresden's event highlights: Celebrate and be amazed at the weekend!

The third weekend in August is approaching and Dresden shows itself in its best light. An exciting potpourri of events will bring the city and the East Saxony region to life from August 16th to 17th, 2025. If you like to party, listen to music or explore the world of art, there is something for you. The Sächsische Zeitung has put together an extensive calendar of events that leaves nothing to be desired. The Dresden city festival Canaletto will transform the old town into a lively spectacle, while the O-SEE Challenge is already waiting for participants in the Zittau Mountains Nature Park.

What exactly can visitors expect? The start of the Canaletto city festival runs from Friday to Sunday and includes twelve stages and 13 locations. Culinary delicacies, presentations and showman shops invite guests to let themselves go. According to ostsachsen.de, the entire city will become a stage, which should attract numerous people. The fun factor is therefore high!

Cultural highlights for young and old

The O-SEE Challenge highlights the regional sporting spirit and offers an extensive family program as well as outdoor expos. This event is already celebrating its 25th anniversary and will therefore also be a highlight for the sports enthusiasts among the visitors. If you would like to immerse yourself in cultural enjoyment, you should not miss the performance “De säk’sche Lorelei” with Tom Pauls. The event takes place on Friday at 7 p.m. in the “stern” town hall in Riesa and offers comical interpretations of classic literature, accompanied by the Elbland Philharmonic Orchestra of Saxony.

Another highlight in the city is the operetta performance “Ilse Bähnert – The Merry Widow”, which takes place on Saturday at 6.30 p.m. in Wilsdruff. The operetta works by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehár will definitely captivate the audience. For music lovers, the anniversary concert of the Alphorn Ensemble Weimar is also a real must: on Friday at 7.30 p.m. in the St. Johanniskirche Bad Schandau, folkloric sounds can be heard.

Events for connoisseurs

At the weekend, the gourmets among us also have reason to be happy: a Mexican culinary event will take place in the Mammoth Garden Elstra on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with particularly tasty specialties. The “Breakfast with Upper Lusatian dialect” on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Zittau Mountains Nature Park House is also fresh and delicious. Entertainment with music and dialect creates a cheerful atmosphere.

All art lovers have the opportunity to admire fascinating oil paintings depicting various water scenes as part of the exhibition “Water Worlds” by Danka Kirchner. Each work tells a story and deals with themes such as emancipation and the joy of water. This exhibition is free and can be visited during the Nordbad's opening hours. Anyone who is interested in art should come to the opening on August 30, 2024 at 7 p.m. Contact for further information can be easily made via [kulturkalender-dresden.de](https://www.kulturkalender-dresden.de/ exhibition/wasserwelten-2).

Overall, the weekend from August 16th to 17th in Dresden promises to be a feast for the senses with something for every taste. The city and surrounding area offer a selection of experiences that invite you to linger and marvel. Be it at the city festival, in nature or at a classic cultural event – ​​everyone is welcome here!