Martinmas falls on 11 November, and Munich marks it with lanterns, songs and a short play in front of the Frauenkirche. For families with children it is one of the loveliest and cheapest evenings of the autumn: a short walk, no ticket and, going by the listings, no registration.
The main city-centre procession takes place on Wednesday 11 November 2026, starting at 4.30pm on Frauenplatz outside the cathedral’s main portal. First comes the Martinsspiel, the story of the soldier Martin who shares his cloak with a beggar. Then the lantern procession walks via Löwengrube and Ettstraße to the Jesuit church of St Michael at Neuhauser Straße 6, where a service with hymns begins around 5pm. Everything is due to end by 5.30pm. Cathedral pastor Klaus Peter Franzl, the Domsingknaben boys’ choir, the girls’ choir and brass players take part.
The city describes the route as short and suitable for smaller children. In heavy rain the play and service move inside St Michael’s. The event page lists no admission price; it looks free, but that is not stated explicitly. The easiest way there is by U-Bahn or S-Bahn to Marienplatz, then a few minutes on foot.
If you prefer something smaller and closer to home, the Münchner Kreis für Volksmusik, Lied und Tanz holds a Martinmas lantern walk in Bogenhausen on Monday 9 November. It starts at 4.15pm in the garden of the Wastl Fanderl school (the organiser’s address is Mauerkircherstraße 52) and lasts about an hour. Entry is free and no registration is required. Bring your own lanterns and warm clothes.
A practical note: by 5pm in mid-November Munich is dark and often damp. Hats, gloves and an LED lantern instead of a candle make the evening easier on children and safer in a crowd. Many Kitas and primary schools also run their own lantern walks; dates are usually posted at the entrance or in a parents’ letter, so ask there.
The custom goes back to St Martin of Tours and is firmly rooted in Bavaria; plenty of families without any church ties celebrate it as a festival of light. For newcomers, including families from Ukraine, it is an easy way to meet neighbours and show children a piece of local tradition. Weather changes will appear on the linked event pages.
