Maschsee Festival

The sails were set and the weather cooperated: With an average of seven and a half hours of sunshine per day and pleasantly mild summer evenings, Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG) welcomed approximately 2.15 million visitors to the Maschseefest over the course of 19 days.
“Excellent weather, around 200 open-air acts with great concerts, a wide range of culinary offerings, and a free children’s program—the extension of Lower Saxony’s summer vacation couldn’t have turned out any better. The quality and variety of the food and drink options are just as unique as the maritime atmosphere around the lake. It’s a vacation feeling right in the heart of Germany,” said Hans Christian Nolte, managing director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), commenting on the positive results.
The busiest days of the 2024 Maschseefest were the first two Saturdays, August 3 and 10, when 220,000 and 230,000 guests, respectively, were counted. On the final Friday and Saturday, another 360,000 visitors flocked to the lake.
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the successful and peaceful outcome of the Maschsee Festival, especially to our numerous guests from Germany and abroad, and of course to all guests from the Hanover region. We are delighted by the enduring appeal and popularity of Lower Saxony’s largest street festival,” said Hans Nolte.

19 Days of a Foodie Paradise Spanning 20,000 m²
At the food festival—which was recognized by the international travel portal “Big 7 Travel”—guests could choose from a variety of culinary highlights every day. The restaurants, featuring country-themed concepts from Mexico, Japan, Syria, Ireland, Spain, and Germany, offered more than 4,000 seats around and even on the water.

19 Days of Open-Air Fun—From Cover Bands to Singles Parties
Around 200 stage shows drew crowds to the lake. Highlights on the Maschsee stage on
the north shore included a performance by German rapper Malik Harris and a show by the cover band Munique. The hip-hop band Passepartout also drew a crowd.
At the Maschsee Spring, Die Toten Ärzte, Sweety Glitter & The Sweethearts, and the Hanover-based band The Jinxs attracted numerous fans. Once again this year, Queer Wednesday, the “Fisch sucht Fahrrad” party, and the NKR duck race established themselves as crowd favorites. In addition to the torchlight swim, which impressively set the Maschsee Lake in the spotlight, ÜSTRA presented two drone shows for the first time. The glowing motifs stood out against the sky above the lake, simultaneously reflecting on the water’s surface and creating an unforgettable atmosphere.

19 Days—Safety, Statistics, and Data
The Johanniter from the Hannover-Wasserturm local chapter once again provided medical care for visitors to the Maschsee Festival this year. On site were two first-aid stations, three ambulances, one emergency physician response vehicle, four foot patrols, two boats from the water rescue team, and personnel from the Psychosocial Emergency Care (PSNV) unit. With around 50 volunteers on the weekend and about ten during the week, the Johanniter treated injuries sustained by festival-goers. The PSNV volunteers not only attended to the emotional needs of the guests but also helped reunite children who had become separated from their families in the crowd with their relatives. In total, the Johanniter logged more than 3,000 volunteer hours at this year’s Maschseefest.

Introduction of Mindfulness Measures Enhances Safety Plan
This year, the existing safety plan was expanded to include innovative mindfulness measures and successfully implemented with the support of the Johanniter. Those seeking help could quickly make contact via the QR code in the Saferspaces app and thus easily receive direct support. Many Maschseefest visitors tried out the new service and made contact via the app; however, no significant incidents were reported this year.
The Hanover-based startup SHARE provided five power bank stations at the Maschseefest to ensure guests had sufficient cell phone battery life at all times and remained reachable. The availability of the portable chargers addressed an additional safety concern. Over 1,000 users borrowed the external batteries and used a total of more than 2,000 hours of charging time.
The Hanover Police had to deal only with minor offenses: “We are very satisfied with how the Maschseefest went. This year, too, despite higher visitor numbers than last year, we mainly dealt with minor assaults and thefts. Overall, we consider the outcome to be positive,” said Nurhan Özdemir, head of the Hanover Police Department.

19 Days of Mobility on the Water
Over the course of 19 days, approximately 12,000 passengers used the two boats of the Maschsee fleet to commute between the shores and enjoy the view of the Maschsee Festival from the water. The Üstra’s special bus line 267, which ran between Kröpcke and the beach, was also heavily used.

André Lawiszus to Take Over as Managing Director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG)
Effective September 1, 2024, André Lawiszus will assume the position of managing director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG). HVG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH, is responsible for events such as the Maschseefest, the International Fireworks Competition, the Glitterbox, and the Old Town Flea Market.
André Lawiszus has been an integral part of Hannover’s event scene since the 1990s and brings his extensive experience to his new role.
In 2005, the now 50-year-old joined Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH, where he worked in various departments and, starting in 2010, took on various project management roles at HVG before being appointed as an authorized signatory.
“I am very pleased about my appointment as managing director of Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH and the trust the supervisory board has placed in me. It is an honor to be able to steer the future course of HVG and to implement many exciting projects with the team,” said André Lawiszus.

Save the Date:
The Maschseefest 2025 will take place from July 30 through August 17.
You can find this press release and additional images available for download at www.maschseefest.de

Press contact
Ela Windels
Hannover Marketing & Tourism, Inc.
Vahrenwalder Street 7
30165 Hanover Phone: 0511/1234 90 26
Mail: presse@hannover-marketing.de