March 4-8 - International Crafts Fair (IHM) 2026 - Munich

Motto of the 2026 International Crafts Fair (IHM): "With skilled trades, we are shaping Germany's future"

The Bavarian Minister-President, Dr. Markus Söder, is opening the 2026 International Crafts Fair (IHM) at this very moment

 

The IHM will take place from March 4 to 8, 2026, at the Munich Trade Fair Center (ENGLISH, ITALIANO, FRANÇAIS, DEUTSCH)

Munich. The Bavarian Minister-President, Dr. Markus Söder, is opening the 2026 International Crafts Fair (IHM). In his speech, he announced plans to strengthen dual vocational training. He also addressed the issue of free master craftsman training: If university studies are tuition-free, then the master craftsman qualification should be equivalent to a master's degree. In Bavaria, the master craftsman qualification will be free of charge in the future. The "Day of Skilled Trades" is well-received in Bavarian schools. Young people learn about businesses and work processes and sometimes discover their future career path. Markus Söder hopes for the same at the federal level. Incidentally, the skilled trades are facing a nationwide shortage of over 200,000 skilled workers. 

Bavaria statue in front of the Hall of Fame overlooking the Theresienwiese in Munich, photo: Helga Waess (Pressefotoarchiv)

The planned special investment program will offer new opportunities for many trades. As the leading event for the skilled trades, the IHM (International Trade Fair for Skilled Trades) presents innovations, construction, renovation, and craft technology. High-tech combustion engines must also have a chance and be produced in Germany in the future. The Minister-President and the Free State of Bavaria are very receptive to the concerns of the skilled trades. Dr. Markus Söder wished the trade fair every success and all the best!

Katherina Reiche (CDU) – Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy during her opening speech

The Federal Minister will continue to advocate for strengthening the concept of merit so that children can take over their parents' master craftsman businesses.

The skilled trades are the backbone of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and SMEs are the backbone of our country.

The awarding of contracts must become more transparent and also take small businesses into account.

"More opportunities for local tradespeople!"

Bureaucracy must be reduced step by step. Taxes and levies must be adjusted to strengthen businesses. She intends to continue advocating for this at the federal level.

Running concurrently with the International Crafts Fair (IHM) 2026

are the "Crafts & Design" and "Garden Munich" trade fairs

Accompanying events:

• "FUTURE CRAFTS",
• "Garden Munich"
• Special exhibition "Jewelry"

Important information about IHM 2026:

• www.ihm.de

Dates: March 4–8, 2026 (Wednesday to Sunday)

Opening hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Location: Munich Exhibition Center
Focus areas: Crafts, Construction, Renovation, Modernization, Crafts & Design

As the Bavarian Minister-President emphasized in his opening speech at the IHM:

...Munich has a few highlight events:

1. the International Motor Show,
2. the International Crafts Fair,
3. the Nockberge Festival – tonight –
4. and the Munich Oktoberfest.

All important, and we will continue to report on these important events in the Arts & Culture Blog ... 

Munich is getting pandas!

Hellabrunn Zoo – “Munich will become Panda City!”

The pandas are coming! Fantastic that it's happening! The Bavarian Minister-President and the people of Munich are looking forward to 2028 and the new arrivals at Hellabrunn Zoo.

Bavaria will thus become the eighth panda location in the EU! Munich is getting black and white newcomers (Deutsch, English, Français, Italiano)

Munich. The Free State of Bavaria is building a panda enclosure in the Asia section of Hellabrunn Zoo. As the Bavarian State Chancellery announced, there will soon be two giant pandas at Hellabrunn Zoo. We are pleased to quote Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder: “Munich will become Panda City! Two giant pandas are coming to Bavaria, to Hellabrunn Zoo. This is a unique attraction and a major draw for visitors: Bavaria will thus become the eighth panda location in the EU. It is even unique in Europe that, with Berlin and now Munich, there are two pandas in one country. ...

SZ-Zeppelin über München, Platzhalter - Presse-Fotoarchiv: Helga Waess

...There are only 19 zoos worldwide with 51 pandas outside of China. Pandas are simply adorable. Since my trip to Chengdu and Beijing in 2024, I have been a strong advocate for pandas in Bavaria. It's fantastic that it's working out! This will promote species conservation and the survival of this endangered species, create a major attraction, and strengthen the partnership between China and Bavaria.

Cooperation and partnership are more successful than confrontation. We rely on open dialogue. Today marks the culmination of Bavarian-Chinese diplomacy. As the Free State of Bavaria, we are enabling the construction of a panda enclosure in the Asia section of Hellabrunn Zoo. The zoo's current 18,000 animals of over 500 species will then have new neighbors in 2028.

Thank you to China and Ambassador Hongbo Deng, the City of Munich and Third Mayor Verena Dietl, and the zoo and its director, Rasem Baban. Today, Bavaria is not only white and blue, but also black and white."

(Quote from bayern.de: Newsletter of the Bavarian State Government - January 23, 2026)

As early as January 21, 2026, Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder, together with Munich's Third Mayor Verena Dietl, Munich's Third Mayor and Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board of Hellabrunn Zoo, and Dr. h. c. Rasem Baban, Director of Hellabrunn Zoo, announced a groundbreaking new construction project in the Asia Geozone, which will be completed in 2028.

Munich: 34th BauMa 2025 Opens - Riem Exhibition Center

Munich - 34th Bauma - April 7-13, 2025

April 7, 2025 - Mayor Reiter today opened BauMa - the world's leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material systems, mining machinery, construction vehicles, and construction equipment

The main topics of BauMa 2025 are climate neutrality, alternative drive concepts, and a secure supply of raw materials.

Munich - Exhibition Center. The world's largest construction trade fair is currently taking place in Munich. The 34th BauMa, the world's leading trade fair for construction machinery, building material systems, mining machinery, construction vehicles, and construction equipment, will take place from April 7-13 at the Munich Exhibition Center. This morning at 9:30 a.m., Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter, together with Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München, opened the international construction machinery trade fair BAUMA. The world's leading trade fair offers visitors a wealth of innovations brought to Munich by 3,500 exhibitors from 57 countries. Presentations will be held not only in the halls, but also in the outdoor area, covering 614,000 square meters – approximately the size of 86 football fields. Visitors from all over the world will marvel at the exhibits, innovations, and trends for 2025, conclude contracts, establish partnerships, and trade.

Munich-Foto, Press-archiv - Kunst-Kultur-Blog - foto: A. Waess

3,500 exhibitors from 57 countries showcase world firsts at bauma

All are back, with Wirtgen showcasing 45 world premieres this year.

Doka is bringing a total of 30 innovations – including a 30-meter-high scaffold tower as an eye-catcher (there are 180 steps to climb). The tower consists of 12,340 components and has a total weight of 67 tons (it is illuminated by 113-square-meter sitelight LEDs).

Another eye-catcher is the CC 78.1250-1 lattice boom crawler crane from Tadano Faun, which has a total weight of 996 tons – that's about the weight of 100 African bull elephants.

The topic of climate friendliness

Volvo Construction is showcasing some purely electric, emission-free machines for the first time at bauma 2025 – which should attract international interest.

All exhibitors at BauMa 2025 can be found on the construction machinery trade fair's  "bauma"-website:

• exhibitors.bauma.de/de/aussteller-warengruppen/aussteller-marken

Munich Exhibition Center
"bauma"

Opening Hours:

• Monday, April 7, 2025, to Friday, April 11, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, April 13, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.