A leisurely cruise on the River Main is known to be one of the most popular ways for families to enjoy a day out in Frankfurt, providing rest and relaxation as well as fun and games for both young and old. Locals and visitors are well entertained at the many open-air events taking place on the city's streets and squares during the warmer months of the year.

Frankfurt am Main, 9th July 2013 (tcf). Two cruise lines have ships departing regularly from the moorings at "Eiserne Steg" footbridge for shorter and longer trips up and down the majestic River Main. Pending on the weather, guests may enjoy their river cruise from the open upper deck or the glass-covered interior while taking in a refreshing beverage or two.

The Primus Line offers daily round-trip cruises of either 50 or 100 minutes. These commute between Gerbermühle in the city's east and Griesheim in the west. Passengers are urged to deboard at Gerbermühle, a former tannery mill turned hotel-restaurant, to enjoy a small snack or drink in the establishment's beautiful beer garden. Cruise ships return to this destination at regular intervals, taking excursionists back to their starting point, the "Eiserne Steg". Details and timetable information are available at the ticket booth.

Right next door to the Primus Line, one finds KD Cruise Lines, which offers similar panorama cruises. Their flagship, the modern river cruise liner, MS Palladium, was built in 2006 and features air-conditioning, a spacious open deck and a bar. She is also well suited for charter cruises of 60 to 180 passengers.

Frankfurt is particularly well known for its many open-air festivals. Each year, various event agencies organise outdoor theatre performances at different locations throughout the city, many of which are free of charge. The Dramatic Stage, for example, is the chief organiser of the Open-Air Festival 2013 ("Freilichtfestival 2013"), which is currently taking place at Grüneburg Park until 18th August. This year, outdoor theatre fans have 26 different productions to look forward to, including classics such as Shakespeare's "King Lear" and Goethe's "Faust". The festival's beer garden, which provides audiences with snacks and beverages, opens at 7:00 pm. In times of inclement weather, performances are moved under the cover of a large marquee.

From 20th July to 3rd August, the Dramatic Stage will also be collaborating with the theatre group, "Landungsbrücken Frankfurt", in staging the "Kurz.Schluss Festival". Performed beneath a spacious pavilion, this event will be putting on show various short theatre pieces every evening from 7:00 pm.

"Stoffel" is the name of the Stalburg Theatre's summertime theatre series. This popular stage event will be held in Günthersburg Park between the city's North End and Bornheim districts for the 10th time, running from 12th July to 11th August 2013. The leisurely festival has slowly been transformed into the largest of its kind in all of Germany. Two to three programme highlights annually attract up to 60,000 spectators. Admission is free, visitors are however requested to make small donations to the cause.

From 16th August to 1st September 2013, the 12th Sommerwerft Festival will once again be taking place near Frankfurt's Wesel Wharf. Here, musicians from across the globe come together to perform on plazas and open-air stages, in Bedouin tents and theatre marquees. Performances of both the theatre and song variety are held adjacently, while poetry slams - a type of open-mike event - entertain visitors with their verbal acrobatics. Of particular interest are the evenings featuring silent cinema and silent disco, which see guests wearing headphones while dancing or listening to the films on presentation. These events are accompanied by a "flow market" and myriad culinary offerings. Here too, admission is free of charge. The festival's organisers are of course happy for every donation, be it large or small.

This year, two separate event organisers will be luring fans of the big screen to visit cinema performances under starry skies.

The Catholic Culture and Education Centre will be inviting film fans to the rooftop terrace of the "Haus am Dom" from 9th to 24th August for the so-called Cinema Weeks ("Kinowochen"). Over a period of 16 days, a variety of arthouse films including "Der Junge mit dem Fahrrad" by Dardenne, "Cloud Atlas" by Wachowsky/Tykwer, "Barbara" by Christian Petzold and "Dein Weg" by Emilio Estevez will be shown every evening at 8:30 pm.

Magnificent views of Frankfurt's unique skyline are of course included.

A second open-air cinema series will be on show from 17th to 21st July and 24th to 27th July at Höchst Castle. Known as Shorts at Moonlight, this event attracts cinema enthusiasts with a blend of first-rate short films and balmy summer evenings, with the programme changing every night. Further stops of this short-film festival include the nearby cities of Hofheim and Mainz. A special festival ticket for all 19 showings is available for a mere € 20.00.

Those who like to enjoy their summer holidays or the end of the working day outdoors are urged to visit one of Frankfurt's many summer festivals.

The Main Festival, taking place from 2nd to 5th August, commences on a Friday with live music performances held on the Römerberg. This traditional folk fair, featuring carousels, high-tech rides, raffles, shooting galleries and other games of skill, is well suited for the entire family, including children of all ages. The festival's highlight is the concluding fireworks display.

Held from 9th to 18th August 2013, the highly popular Apple Wine Festival pays tribute to the city's favourite beverage. Frankfurt's time-honoured apple wine culture has been part of the city's joie de vivre for hundreds of years. A colourful fringe programme offering folklore performances and dialect poetry provides plenty of entertainment, while numerous apple wine varieties are available for tasting at the festival's modern and rustic beverage stands. Original apple wine paraphernalia is also on sale at these and other booths, making for excellent souvenirs. Those interested in taking home their own apple wine set will find the famous ribbed glass, the stoneware jug and other articles available here.

Taking place from 23rd to 25th August, the Museum Embankment Festival ranks amongst Europe's largest cultural celebrations. This large-scale event, which annually draws up to three million visitors to the banks of the River Main, features a different theme country every year, with 2013 being dedicated to Brazil. A special festival button, which offers holders free and unlimited admission to all participating museums, is available for only  € 4.00.

The festival is an absolute must for fans of culture and the arts, live music, theatre and cuisine.

Contact:

Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board,

Kaiserstr. 56, 60329 Frankfurt, Germany

Tel: +49 (0) 69 / 21 23 03 98, Fax: +49 (0) 69 / 21 23 78 80,
E-mail: tourismus@infofrankfurt.de, Internet: www.frankfurt-tourismus.de