10 Incredible Electronic Music Festivals in NRW That You Need to Experience

When anyone thinks about electronic music festivals and Germany, the city of Berlin is the first place that comes to mind, and for a good reason. However, don’t let the media hype fool you. Germany and NRW especially are packed with amazing electronic music festivals. Our area is home to some great events but also hosts some of the top 100 mega festivals from around the globe, all within a couple of hours of Düsseldorf. So, put your party costumes and glitter on, get that inflatable, and start preparing the squad.

 

The best electronic music festivals in NRW list is a list to remember!

 

Parookaville

This is, by far, one of the most amazing electronic music events in Europe and it’s taking place less than 1 hour away from Düsseldorf. The festival was incepted in 2015 and within only 6 editions, became a global sensation, attracting around 225,000 visitors from over 40 different countries, every year. This event includes various camping options so you can immerse yourself in the full experience. Parookaville is a multi-genre festival and throughout the 3 (or 4 if you’re camping) festival days, visitors can choose from more than 10 beautiful stages.

 

World Club Dome – Big City Beats (winter edition)

German label, BigCityBeats, has been one of Europe’s most successful event brands for over 17 years. Every summer, they produce a massive festival in Frankfurt, and in winter – they take over Düsseldorf. The amazing event is taking place at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, which is easily accessible by the U-Bahn. The lineup for this festival includes top-notch international and national producers and DJs, and the genres are incredibly varied. From mainstream EDM, loud hardstyle, and dark techno – here, you can find everything you like.

 

Pollerwiesen

Techno lovers, all rise. If you’re into dark clothing, indoor sunglasses, and strong pumping beats – this is your event. Pollerwiesen is both a festival, happening in Dortmund, and a series of open-air parties happening in Jugendpark, Cologne. It started as an illegal rave in the woods around Cologne 30 years ago and grew to be one of the most loveable events in the area.

 

Luft & Liebe

A beloved local event that has been running since 2010 in various locations across NRW.
In recent years, Villenpark Rheinperle in Duisburg was chosen to be its ultimate host and the venue is a perfect match. A boutique open-air festival with a mature and respectful crowd is one of the strongest characteristics of this event. Every year, the lineup includes top local talents, combined with renowned international stars, playing house, techno, and electro.

 

Nibirii

Another youngster in the festival industry managed, within only 2 editions, to win the hearts of local ravers. Nibirii festival in Düren is one of the only large-scale events in the area that plays Drum and Bass, Goa, techno, and Psytrance all in one place. Apart from techno, these genres aren’t very popular in Germany so this event made a real breakthrough in the electronic music variety in the area. If you’re a real warrior, you may opt for the camping option, but make sure you pack up your strongest earplugs.

 

Ruhr in Love

A local and lovely day festival, happening during summer in Olga-Park in Oberhausen, just about 50 min from Düsseldorf. This local event is, in fact, a hidden jam. It brings together tens of thousands of ravers dancing together on more than 10 different stages. The festival cooperates with big local event planners such as Acid Wars, Affenkäfig, etc. for incredible stage hosting. Here you can find all types of electronic music but techno is definitely the dominant one. The crowd is of all ages but mainly 20-35.

 

Docklands

A day + night house and techno festival taking place in the charming city of Münster. During the day, you can enjoy a number of stages, hosting some incredible and talented DJs from Germany and around the world. What’s special about this event, is that after the day party is over, everyone can access a large number of clubs who cooperate with the event and start their own party until the very morning. The music is great and due to the fact that Münster is a student city – you can expect a young and fun crowd.

 

Mayday

What started as a techno and house festival in Berlin in 1991, quickly roamed west and became one of the most famous electronic music events in NRW. Though in most years the main genre is techno and house, in some years there are various mainstream glitches. In 2019, Tiesto and Lost frequencies were playing alongside techno legends such as Pan-Pot and Sam Paganini. Years of experience have proven themselves and the event is of top production level with attention to detail. No less than 15,000 visitors come together every year to enjoy the amazing laser shows and unique acts.

 

Panama Open Air

This is a multi-genre event hosting rock, hip-hop, electronic, and pop artists. Despite not being exclusively electronic, it brings some very well-known and talented artists to our beloved region, so it had to be included on this list. Like many others, this event also started as an illegal rave but grew to be a big player booking some of the most famous artists in the world. Taking place in the beautiful Rheinaue Park in Bonn, it’s easily accessible by public transportation from Düsseldorf.

 

Syndicate

This is one of the largest and only harder-style events in the region. Its visitors find it one of the most important local events of the year so the vibe is definitely reflected in the crowd. Syndicate is not a festival to chill, so make sure you get a good night’s sleep before going. The festival is organized by I-Motion, the same event company that brings us Mayday, Ruhr in Love, and many other festivals across Germany. Every year, the festival hosts some of the biggest DJs in those genres and is considered to be a must-go-to event for hardstyle lovers from all around Europe and even the world.