From Helene Fischer to „Wetten, dass …?“: Special Events at Messe Düsseldorf

When thinking of Messe Düsseldorf, most people probably imagine the major world-leading trade shows, like boot Düsseldorf, drupa, k or MEDICA – because a variety of trade shows attract hundreds of thousands of people to the exhibition halls at the metropolis on the Rhine every year. But Messe Düsseldorf offers so much more than “just” trade shows, with Halls 6 and 8b frequently serving as venues for special events that are just as exciting to visitors. 

“The first concert was held in Hall 6 in 2002,” says Messe Düsseldorf’s hall manager Detlef Semrau. Elton John, Brian Adams and many other superstars have performed in Hall 6, thrilling people with their acts. Plus, the Helene Fischer Christmas show has been recorded there every year since 2016. “For a long time, ‘Wetten, dass ...?’ was also filmed here,” says the hall manager. A German entertainment television fixture for decades, that show brought whole families together in front of their TV sets. Moreover, Hall 6 has served as a venue for company meetings, party conventions, even world championships in handball and table tennis. It goes without saying that events of such a size require sufficient space. “Depending on the event, a total of up to 24,000 square meters (approximately 260,000 square feet) are available, and our hall offers space for 12,500 people,” says Detlef Semrau. “The hall also has conference rooms on the upper floor as well as ten changing rooms of various sizes on the lower floor – from individual to team lockers,” adds the hall manager. Another special feature of the hall is the mobile bleachers with space for 9,600 people. Four grandstand storage areas below the surrounding gallery contain blocks that are pushed together and can be moved into position and extended during events.

Hall 8b has also been used as a multi-purpose hall for various events, including a fashion show by German clothing manufacturer s.Oliver, various sporting events such as the European Fencing Championships and popular TV shows. According to Michael Schneider, the hall manager of Hall 8b, “Huge techno music parties with guests from all over Europe were staged for two years, and Mercedes presented its new Sprinter here.” With a floor space of 12,850 square meters (approximately 138,000 square feet), the hall is only half the size of Hall 6, but it can be connected to Hall 8a if required and thus expanded to up to 25,700 square meters (almost 280,000 square feet).

The planning process for such special events can take anywhere from a few months to a year. “Depending on the size and requirements of the event, we usually need at least three weeks to set it up,” says hall manager Detlef Semrau. When another concert, TV event or similar is scheduled, CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf approaches the hall managers to work out the details of the event with them. "We are the first on-site contact for customers; we connect the individual trades. For special events, we pass on any concerns to our colleagues at CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf,” says Michael Schneider. Because every event is different, the requirements and stage-rebuilding work are always highly customized. While this is often the case for “regular” trade shows, too, exhibition booths are usually only a few square meters in size. At a major event like “Wetten, dass ...?” the hall has to be prepared for all the contestants’ bets as well as for the performances of the musical guests; quick set changes must be possible each time. The changeover from the performance set to the – usually action packed – bets typically takes just a few minutes. All of this has to be taken into account when designing these types of shows. “Fortunately, coordination is pretty straightforward here. While we often communicate with multiple booth builders and exhibiting companies at our trade shows, we only have one contact person for special events, which makes coordination much easier,” says Detlef Semrau.