Berlin clubs to host trial events with unmasked, non-distanced crowds this weekend

Berlin’s Senate Department for Culture and Europe is launching a trial initiative to test the viability of allowing indoor club events to start up again in the city.

From 10pm on Friday, 6th August until midday on Sunday, 8th August, 2,000 consenting PCR-tested clubbers will be able to visit six selected venues: Salon Zur Wilden Renate, Kitkat, SO36, Crack Bellmer (pictured), Festsaal Kreuzberg and Metropol. Each venue will host an indoor event for them to attend.

The trial aims to assess the difficulties of maintaining social distancing and mask measures indoors by creating what the Senate Department for Culture and Europe calls a “temporary SARS-CoV-2-free cohort”. 

All clubbers will have to take PCR tests from a specific test provider before and after the weekend, with those behind the initiative wanting to take a more rigorous approach to testing than the alternative lateral flow tests might allow for. Participants will also answer a survey after the event. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can take part.

Tickets will be available from Tuesday, 3rd August via the venues’ websites for €15. Participants will also be asked to pay an additional €10, which will be refunded after their final test.

Find more information via the Club Commission website.

Many clubs in Berlin have adapted to the inability to host indoor events this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, by hosting outdoor garden events. One such venue is Berghain, which reopened its garden area last month.

A new open-air, lakeside venue called Plötze also opened in the city last month.