Berlin’s Bestival delivers knowledge and inspiration in 2025

# tags: Germany , Festivals , Events , Meetings Industry

"Berlin Global" a temporary exhibition within the Humboldt Forum seemed to amplify everything I, and 500 meeting planners had learnt during the two previous days of Bestival 2025.

My visit to the Humboldt Forum, a modern museum incorporating the former Berlin Palace, was part of wider post-Bestival (Berlin's International business festival) exploration of the city, showcasing Berlin’s unique ability to blur the lines between business, events, entertainment and lifestyle, thus offering planners a uniquely blank canvas from which to curate all types and styles of event in a sustainable way.

"Berlin Global" explored the notion of how the city and its people are connected to the world, through the thematic topics of revolution, free space, boundaries, entertainment, war, fashion and interconnection. In fact the guiding principle of the Humboldt Forum is that ‘Everything is interconnected’ something Bestival mirrors.

Bestival ‘mints’ a new events currency

All these ingredients have defined Berlin, its people, spaces and receptivity to welcoming new cultures: "Berlin is one of Europe's leading event metropolises. People from around the world are drawn here to share the latest research, innovative ideas and emerging trends" stated Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Visit Berlin at the opening ceremony of Bestival 2025.

Taking inspiration from the city itself, Bestival 2025, once again delivered the right balance between keynotes, panel discussions and experiential activations all running like an interconnected ribbon through the historic courtyards and rooms of the ‘Alt-Münze’. The former ‘Mint’ in Berlin-Mitte, nestled on the banks of the Spree, was a clever venue choice, showcasing one of Berlin’s many repurposed and historic urban spaces now welcoming events.

However, the currency being traded during Bestival was not monetary, but the value of knowledge, inspiration and networking through the convergence of hotel, venue and ancillary event suppliers, alongside multiple speakers invited to dissect the festival's key themes of 'Innovation', 'Sustainability' and 'Community'.

Connecting Innovation, Sustainability & Community for events

Three key speakers further cemented the thinking that ‘Everything is connected’ in Berlin. Dr Prateep Beed, scientist & MD of neuro360, views Berlin as a city of disruptors and innovators, exploring the links between neuroscience and disruptive thinking.

Franciska Lienert, project lead for Sustainable Berlin at VisitBerlin mentioned the "city is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2045 and with ‘Sustainable Berlin’ we have created a certificate that caters specifically to berlins tourism and events".

These standards are being set by Bestival, with one key objective of this year's event was to reduce CO2 emissions per person by 10% over 2023, through steps which included everything from vegetarian catering to the use of responsible eco-friendly materials and the provision of the ‘Berlin Welcome Card’ to attendees, providing a sustainable transport option.

Whilst an impassioned speech from Emiko Gejic of Club Commission Berlin reminded guests that “more than 700 event venues from old industrial buildings, to community and art centres and unique outdoor locations, and over 190 nationalities live in Berlin, making it one of Europe’s leader in inclusive and diverse oriented initiatives which shape the culture scene of the city”. She highlighted the societal impact of culture and community, further adding that “Berlins Club Culture has been recognised last year by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, the club scene attracts millions of tourists”.

Berlin’s alternative lifestyle reflected by exhibitors

At the heart of Alt-Münze’s courtyard, a snapshot of Berlin’s dynamic lifestyle was brought to life with food trucks, alfresco bars, live music, and spray-painted murals by UrbanArtists.de. Street art, once a form of protest on the Berlin Wall, now thrives as an integral part of the city’s identity. UrbanArtists.de continues that legacy, offering hands-on workshops, performances, and incentive-friendly art experiences.

Inside, a showcase of Berlin’s most compelling venues unfolded. From the tech-forward EUREF Campus to the legendary Hansa Studios, where David Bowie recorded ‘Heroes’, exhibitors offered more than just event space for hire, they offered storytelling. These venues reflect Berlin’s creative core and its flair for the unexpected.

One standout was ‘Hotel Berlin, Berlin’, a bold, design-driven property with 701 rooms and extensive MICE facilities, yet one is reminded of its mid-20th century roots with its chequerboard façade. Its “Meet the Neighbours” concept gives each room a unique identity through letters and maps created by local Berliners; this personal touch doubles as a useful insider’s guide. Cyclists are especially catered for through the hotel’s “Bed & Bike” initiative, offering rentals, e-bike charging stations, secure storage, and detailed cycling maps.

That’s not all. Guests can skateboard upon the hotel’s own skate ramp, admire LED art installations wrapping the lobby on a digital banner, or unwind at the quirky Royal Table Tennis Klub. It’s an experience that captures the city’s pulse: edgy, expressive, and always inventive.

Venues, Nightlife & Neighbourhoods

As the sun set at the Alt-Münze, ‘Long Night Berlin’ kicked-in, involving tours to the Nhow Berlin, Café Moskau and Radialsystem before Bestival delegates sampled a slice of Berlin’s legendary nightlife at the Holzmarkt, a cooperative urban quarter, built by the community for the community in Freidrichshain.

Holzmarkt represents Berlin’s largest sustainable urban development project, where residents of Freidrichshain-Kreuzberg repelled the plans of developers by voting in a referendum in 2008. The result was a facility for everyone and the non-for-profit timber market was realised. It is a place where arts and culture, street food, music studios, event spaces and even a guesthouse converge and now call home.

The morning after the conference, delegates ventured into Berlin’s iconic “Kiez”, a colloquial term meaning local neighbourhood, each with distinct identities, to explore the city’s multifaceted event venues.

In Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, the first stop was the AVUS Tribüne, a grandstand from a former car racing track, now transformed by entrepreneur Hamid Djabba into a sleek event space. With two event areas - the grandstand and pulpit – plus foyer spread across 450 m², the venue hosts up to 200 guests in a setting that blends motoring history with innovation. A major advantage is that it sits next to Messe Berlin, one of Europe’s largest congress centres.

Next was Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, originally constructed for the 1936 Olympics under the Nazi regime. Once a symbol of a dark past, it now serves as a powerful emblem of democracy and transformation. The venue accommodates major sport, concerts and large-scale events with the arena’s three-tiered VIP section and players' lounge offering top-tier hospitality in a historically charged setting.

Teufelsberg, a former Cold War listening station, continued the theme of transformation. Built atop WWII rubble, the site now boasts panoramic views, graffiti-covered ruins, and over 400 street art murals, making it a standout arts and cultural hub, defined by its golf-ball like domes once housing the antennas. This is a landmark and unconventional event space.

The tour concluded at the Orangery of Charlottenburg Palace, a baroque gem with sunlit halls and royal elegance, which was the perfect finale to an exploration of Berlin’s past, present, and future.

More than just a business festival, Bestival captured Berlin’s spirit: unexpected, diverse, and community-driven. “This is where we showcase Berlin’s vision for events – sustainable, diverse, and community-driven. Our city is both a stage and a laboratory” concluded Sabine Wendt, Managing Director of VisitBerlin.

For more information go to www.convention.visitberlin.de/en, www.berlin-welcomecard.de/en & www.hotel-berlin.de/en.