Überschlag Festival – Europe's Largest Drum Festival
Five days of drums, percussion, and drumming at the Pavillon cultural center – concerts, workshops, and masterclasses
About Überschlag Festival
Drum Festival at the Pavillon
The Pavillon cultural center on Lister Meile, one of the central venues of Hannover's cultural life, hosts the Überschlag Festival. The building features several halls of varying sizes that can be used simultaneously as concert, workshop, and discussion spaces. This infrastructure makes it possible to accommodate a dense, multi-track festival program within a single building.
Concept: Drums in All Facets
The festival is exclusively dedicated to drums, percussion, and all drumming traditions. This makes it unique in Europe. Other festivals dedicate individual programs or sections to drumming; Überschlag makes it the focus. The program structure combines evening concerts, daytime workshops and masterclasses, late-night sessions, and an exhibition and market area featuring leading instrument manufacturers and accessory companies.
Stylistic Variety
Programmatically, the festival is deliberately broad: jazz, rock, metal, classical percussion literature, African and Latin American percussion traditions, electronic drum programming, experimental sound art. The connection between styles is actively fostered through cross-over projects and encounter sessions.
Workshops for Professionals and Amateurs
A central component is the workshops and masterclasses. They are aimed at different target groups: professional drummers and students, ambitious amateurs, instrumental music teachers, and beginners with no prior knowledge. The workshops typically last two to four hours and are led by internationally renowned instructors.
Überschlag Festival — edition 2026
In the five years of its existence, the festival has built a loyal following and is internationally recognized as a reference address for drumming topics. The combination of high-caliber concert programming, serious workshop work, and a relaxed session atmosphere is programmatically key.
The booking for 2026 will, in this edition as well, combine acts from jazz, rock, classical percussion, and global drumming traditions. The exact artist lists will be released gradually in the months leading up to the event as the program becomes more detailed.
Programme Überschlag Festival 2026
Program Structure
The exact 2026 program will be published by the organizer in spring and early summer. The structure follows the proven cornerstones of previous years:
- Evening Concerts: International headliners and newcomers from all drumming genres
- Daytime Workshops: Masterclasses for professionals, open workshops for amateurs, introductory courses
- Late-Night Sessions: Encounter sessions, jam formats, cross-over projects
- Exhibition and Market Area: Instrument manufacturers, specialist dealers, schools
- Discussions and Panels: Current topics of the drumming scene
Styles
- Jazz Drumming
- Rock and Metal
- Classical Percussion Literature
- African Drumming Traditions
- Latin American Percussion
- Electronic Drum Programming
- Experimental and Improvised Music
Target Audiences
- Professional drummers
- Students in percussion classes
- Ambitious amateurs
- Instrumental music teachers
- Beginners and interested parties
Highlights Überschlag Festival 2026
- 5th edition of Europe's largest drum festival
- International concerts and sessions
- Workshops and masterclasses
- Exhibition and market area
- Stylistic range from jazz to electronics
Prices Überschlag Festival 2026
Practical information — Überschlag Festival
Date
Wednesday, August 19 to Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Venue
Kulturzentrum Pavillon, Lister Meile 4, 30161 Hannover. Directly at Raschplatz, one of the central hubs of Hannover's city center.
Getting There
Hannover Central Station, approx. 3 minutes walk to the Pavillon. Light rail and buses connect Raschplatz to all city districts.
Tickets
Festival passes and day tickets available at ueberschlagfestival.de. Workshop places usually need to be booked separately and have limited capacity. Early registration recommended.
Exhibitors
Accompanying exhibition area with leading instrument manufacturers, stick and head producers, pickup specialists, and schools.
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