MAYDAY Dortmund

The MAYDAY — Germany's legendary indoor rave

Anyone talking about techno in Germany can't ignore MAYDAY. Since 1991 — almost as old as techno in the reunified Germany itself — the rave, organized by Frankfurt-based agency I-Motion, transforms the Westfalenhallen Dortmund into a twelve-hour bass cathedral. This makes MAYDAY the largest indoor rave in Germany and one of the most traditional techno events in Europe.

2026 under the theme "ICONIC"

The 2026 edition takes place on April 30, 2026 — as always, a "dance into May" on the night before May 1st. The theme "ICONIC" celebrates MAYDAY's DJ legends and the iconic sounds that have emerged here over three and a half decades. Over half a million ravers have visited the Westfalenhallen for MAYDAY since 1993.

Four floors for four sound worlds

The concept divides the Westfalenhallen into four independent floors, each with its own sound signature:

• Arena — Main floor with international techno headliners (I Hate Models, Lilly Palmer, Amber Broos b2b Juliet Fox)
• Empire — Bounce, Hardtechno, and Raw Techno (Kalte Liebe live, SHDW b2b Regal)
• Factory — Hard electronic styles (Miss K8, Dr. Donk, Paul Elstak b2b Boogshe)
• Techno Legends x Acid Wars — Genre roots with Speedy J, UMEK, Marco Bailey

The Westfalenhallen — Rave cathedral in the Ruhr area

The Westfalenhallen Dortmund, with their listed dome architecture in the independent city of Dortmund (North Rhine-Westphalia), are considered one of Germany's best event locations worldwide. No other event in Dortmund uses as much space as MAYDAY — the entire hall capacity becomes a dance floor, and the effort put into lighting, lasers, video, and sound is legendary.

Arrival by public transport and special trains

From Dortmund Central Station, subway line U45 goes directly to Stadion / Westfalenhallen. Special trains are traditionally used for MAYDAY visitors from all over Germany — MAYDAY is more of a pilgrimage than a concert visit.