2023 is almost gone and it’s time to take stock of how the event industry in Germany, especially in the live events sector, has recovered after the difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Which event formats were able to attract many visitors and the attention of the social media community? This article provides an overview of the most popular event formats in the German market in 2023.
The popularity and success of different event formats strongly depend on the respective target audience, industry, and current trends. Nevertheless, there are some types of events that were particularly popular in 2023 after the COVID-19 shutdown was overcome. The following listicle is based on expert opinions, visitor surveys, and the EventMasterBook.com editorial team’s own experiences.
(This article is based on an AI-generated translation of the original German version. Please excuse any errors caused by the translation tool).
1. Music Festivals
The festival hype, which was already evident before the global COVID-19 pandemic, continued in 2023. One of the highlights in Germany was undoubtedly the World Club Dome (WCD) Festival 2023 in the City of Frankfurt (Frankfurt / Main). Over 180,000 people attended, including the largest gathering of social media stars (approximately 600) and over 100 reality stars. Their social media communities gave the festival a respectable reach of over 500 million fans. Here is the post-event report on marketingScout.com, the partner medium of EventMasterBook.de (both published by AdCoach Media / see www.adcoach.de – Publications) for the WCD Festival 2023.
2. Sports Events and Events for Sports Event Organizers
Sports events, such as football or racing events, or other athletic competitions, traditionally have a particularly loyal fan base. The emotional connection to the teams or individual athletes makes these types of events appealing. Next year, the UEFA European Championship will take place in Germany, marking the next major sports event in the EU. It is already essential for marketing, PR and event managers to consider how to leverage this major event to create unforgettable brand and fan experiences.
With the growing enthusiasm for sports events, there is also an increasing interest among organizers in the topics of "FanCommerce" and "Merchandising." The editorial team of marketingScout.com (mentioned above) was present at the 2nd FanCommerce Forum 2023 in the City of Hamburg / Germany. The event report focuses on the most important trends in merchandising and community building.
3. Culinary Events and Food Festivals
Events focusing on food and beverages, such as food festivals, wine tastings and dinner shows are becoming increasingly popular. In 2023, countless events of this kind took place throughout Germany. It is certain that this trend will continue in 2024, as culinary experiences are a kind of luxury that people also enjoy in their everyday lives. (Proof of this are the many sold-out dinner shows in the current Christmas season).
In line with this trend, the event management trainers from AdCoach (AdCoach Academy) are launching an online course on "Event Management, Focus on Culinary & Wine Events" in October 2023 in cooperation with the German Wine Institute (DWI). (Please note: An English version of this online course is not available, but the Event Master Course by AdCoach Academy x EventMasterBook.com has a similar concept and didactics. Please, click the link to get more information.)
4. Business Events on Technology & Innovation Topics
German trade fair and congress organizers were also successful in 2023, both in terms of exhibitor and participant numbers, particularly in the area of technology and innovation trade fairs. Even though the key figures this year often did not reach pre-COVID pandemic levels, new technological developments suggest that the positive trend will continue in the coming years.
5. Art and Cultural Festivals, Immersive Art Experiences
Events on art, culture and creativity in 2023 captivated many people. In particular, new art disciplines such as AR art and immersive art experiences attracted not only dedicated art connoisseurs and fans, but also a broad audience. A best-practice example was provided by the Dortmund art center "Phoenix des Lumières", which moved many people with the immersive exhibition KOSMOS. A report on this extraordinary space experience, which also offers an exciting framework for creative brand events on the theme of "future," can be found at the link.
6. Local Community Events
Events to promote local communities, such as markets, street festivals and charity projects, are becoming increasingly popular, including people actively engaged in fostering community building. One example was provided by the association "3. Oktober – Deutschland singt und klingt e.V.". (October 3 – Germany sings and sounds e.V.). Once again, the association supported local choirs, clubs, associations and organizations with information and materials to promote the joint celebration of 3 October (national holiday: Day of German Unity) at a local level. The following link leads to the EventMasterBook.de article about the project.
7. Promotional Events with "Family & Friends"
"Small but exquisite" was the motto of numerous events in 2023 at which brands were in close contact with their target groups – in a relatively intimate setting and usually with the support of popular VIPs, influencers and multipliers. Two successful examples (both in Cologne, both in the presence of the editorial team) were Lipton Iced Tea x Twenty4tim* (*influencer, musician and model) and Spotify x Rockstar Energy x Azet* (*successful rapper). In 2024, such formats are likely to be seen more often, as they offer brands, stars and fans the best platform to connect personally and create a unique Family & Friends experience.
The EventMasterBook.de magazine editorial team is looking forward to new innovative, creative event formats in 2024, some of which are certainly already being planned.
(Please note: This article is based on an AI-generated translation of the original German version. Please excuse any errors caused by the translation tool).
Cover image (collage): Scenes from the Twenty4tim x Lipton Summer Party in the City of Cologne / Germany, end of May 2023 | Large image: Collective artwork at the event. Small image above: Twenty4tim with Monika Monzel, editor-in-chief of the marketing magazines marketingScout.com & eventmasterbook.de/.com. Small image below: Alieu Sawaneh, artist on-site. Copyrights: marketingScout.de editorial team
Related Topics: Event Recap 2023, Flashback, Review, Event Trends, Event Formats, Event Concepts, Event Design, Crowd Pullers, Popularity of Events, Event Trends, Event Industry, Event Sector, Popular Events and Event Formats, Festivals, Music Events, Sports Events, Network Events, Culinary Events, Cultural Events, Art Events, Fairs, Technology, Innovation
Summary: Annual review by EventMasterBook.de, Event Management Magazine. The Revival of Live Events: These Were the Most Popular Event Formats in 2023.
