Perfect conditions and full speed ahead:
Maschsee Festival attracts around 2.15 million visitors

The sails were set and the weather played along: With an average of seven and a half hours of sunshine a day and pleasantly balmy summer evenings, Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG) welcomed around 2.15 million visitors to the Maschsee Festival over 19 days.

"Excellent weather, around 200 open-air acts with great concerts, a wide range of culinary offerings and a free children's programme - the extension of the Lower Saxony summer holidays could not have turned out better. The quality and variety of the catering is just as unique as the maritime ambience around the lake. That's a holiday feeling in the middle of Germany," says Hans Christian Nolte, Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), commenting on the positive result.

The most popular days of the Maschseefest 2024 were the first two Saturdays, 3 and 10 August, when 220,000 and 230,000 guests respectively were counted. Another 360,000 visitors flocked to the lake on the last Friday and Saturday.

"A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the successful and peaceful organisation of the Maschsee Festival, especially to our numerous guests from Germany and abroad and, of course, to all guests from the Hannover Region. We are delighted that Lower Saxony's largest street festival continues to be so attractive and appealing," said Hans Nolte.

19 days of gourmet paradise on 20,000m²

At the Food Festival, which was recognised by the international travel portal "Big 7 Travel", guests were able to choose from a variety of gastronomic highlights every day. The restaurants offered more than 4,000 seats around and even on the water with their country concepts from Mexico, Japan, Syria, Ireland, Spain and Germany.

19 days of open air - from cover bands to singles parties

Around 200 stage shows attracted visitors to the lake. The highlights on the Maschsee stage on the
North Bank included a performance by German rapper Malik Harris and a show by cover band Munique. The hip-hop band Passepartout also made people's ears perk up.
At the Maschseequelle, Die Toten Ärzte, Sweety Glitter & The Sweethearts and the Hanoverian band The Jinxs attracted numerous fans. Queer Wednesday, the fish looking for a bike party and the NKR duck race have once again established themselves as crowd favourites this year. In addition to the torchlight swim, which impressively showcased the Maschsee, two ÜSTRA drone shows were also presented for the first time. The luminous motifs appeared above the lake and were simultaneously reflected on the surface of the water, creating an unrivalled atmosphere.

19 days - Safety, figures and data

Once again this year, St John Ambulance from the Hanover-Wasserturm local branch provided medical care for visitors to the Maschsee Festival. Two accident assistance centres, three ambulances, an emergency ambulance, four foot patrols, two boats from the water rescue group and the psychosocial emergency care team (PSNV) were available on site. With around 50 volunteers at the weekend and around ten during the week, St John Ambulance treated the injuries of the revellers. The PSNV volunteers not only took care of the emotional needs of the guests, but also looked after children or their relatives who got lost in the hustle and bustle. In total, the St John Ambulance provided more than 3,000 volunteer hours at this year's Maschsee Festival.

Introduction of mindfulness measures enriches safety concept

This year, the existing safety concept was expanded to include innovative mindfulness measures and successfully implemented with the support of Johanniter. People seeking help were able to quickly make contact via the QR code of the Saferspaces app and thus receive direct support in an uncomplicated manner. Many visitors to the Maschsee Festival tried out the new service and made contact via the app, but no significant incidents were recorded this year.

The Hanover-based start-up SHARE provided five power bank stations at the Maschseefest to provide guests with sufficient mobile phone power at all times and thus ensure their availability. The availability of the mobile batteries provided an additional safety aspect. Over 1,000 users borrowed the external batteries and utilised a total of more than 2,000 hours of charging time.

The Hanover police only had to deal with minor offences: "We are very satisfied with how the Maschsee Festival went. This year, despite the higher number of visitors than last year, we mainly had to deal with simple assaults and thefts. All in all, we can draw a positive balance," says Nurhan Özdemir, head of the Hanover police station.

19 days mobile on the water

During the 19 days, around 12,000 passengers used the two boats of the Maschsee fleet to travel between the shores and enjoy the view of the Maschsee Festival from the water. The special Üstra bus route 267, which travelled between Kröpcke and the lido, was also very popular.

André Lawiszus takes over as Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG)

André Lawiszus will take up the position of Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG) on 1 September 2024. HVG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH, is responsible for events such as the Maschsee Festival, the International Fireworks Competition, the Glitterbox and the Old Town Flea Market.

André Lawiszus has been an integral part of Hanover's event scene since the 1990s and brings his extensive experience to his new role.

In 2005, the 50-year-old started at Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH, where he worked in various departments and took over various project management roles at HVG from 2010 before being appointed an authorised signatory.

"I am very pleased about my appointment as Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH and the trust placed in me by the Supervisory Board. It is an honour for me to be able to lead the fortunes of HVG in the future and to implement many exciting projects with the team," says André Lawiszus.

Save the Date: The Maschseefest 2025 will take place from 30 July to 17 August.