Future of Festivals

The Future of Festivals is the largest industry gathering of the festival industry in the German-speaking world. It is the industry get-together for all organizers, service providers, associations, decision-makers and trainees from the festival sector.

After more than 5,000 participants came together to network and exchange ideas at the third edition, we are now delighted to invite you to the unique festival networking fair on the new date for 2024.

We will be trying out new formats and ideas again this year, but the mission for the days THU November 28th & FRI November 29th 2024 remains clear for us: We bring together festival makers, service providers, professionals, university graduates, young professionals and volunteers.

In the spacious Arena Berlin, directly on the Spree in the heart of Berlin, the focus is on networking, inspiration and innovation. The event, which is divided into trade fair, congress and campus areas, offers plenty of space for exhibitors and more on the 6,500 m² area (plus outdoor area). This is where the exchange about the future of the festival industry takes place, including topics such as sustainability and recruiting personnel/trainees in the event industry. The 200 exhibitors present their latest innovations and sustainable products for the next festival season in the trade fair area.

The conference section offers a lot of content such as lectures and panel discussions on the topics of the festival makers. The program for 2023 included over 60 sessions (panel discussions, masterclasses, keynotes and satellite events) with over 120 (inter)national speakers. Over the last two years, festival scene greats such as Steven Raspa (Burning Man Festival), Sarah Mackenzie (MUTEK Festival and Forum), Holger Hübner (Wacken Open Air), Kristine Barenholdt (Roskilde Festival), Yvonne Heckl (VMS / Oktoberfest), Jonas Niersmann (Parookaville), Inga Jacobsen (Zurück zu Den Wurzeln Festival), Tobias Zwiebel (Full Force Festival), Hanna Mauksch (Lollapalooza) or Jonas Rhode (M'era Luna Festival/ FKP Scorpio), Cathi Krämer (Rock am Ring), Rainbow Gao (Great Wall Music Festival), Andreas Groth Clausen (Rosklide Festival), Alexandra von Samson (Lollapalooza), Stephan Thanscheidt (FKP Scorpio), Carina Wagner (Parookaville), Huong Tra Duong (Letzte Wiese Festival), Felix Schon (Pferdefestival), Isabel Plewnia (Rocken am Brocken) and Michael Fritz (Viva Con Agua) on stage.

The entire Stage 1 program was broadcast on free TV on Alex TV. Other program items include the Start-Up Area, Kids Space, the Workshop Area and the Podcast Studio.

The 2024 season offers new challenges, but also many opportunities to put the resolutions into practice. Accordingly, there will be plenty of opportunities to share experiences and exchange ideas together. Perennial topics such as sustainability, personnel, promoting young talent and energy will also play a central role with regard to the 2025 festival season.

We firmly believe in the further development of festivals. We face the questions of the present with innovative and visionary ideas to provide answers to the challenges of the future.

Let's network! Let's work together write the festival present and future together!

 

Location address: Arena Berlin, Eichenstraße 4, 12435 Berlin

When: THU November 28th & FRI November 29th 2024

Admission: 10:00 a.m. for visitors

Get your tickets here.

The two-day festival ticket (admission THU & FRI) for the Future of Festivals 2024 is available for €40.