Wapelbeats Open Air Gütersloh

A disused swimming pool becomes a festival location

The Wapelbad in Gütersloh has an extraordinary history. Once designed as an outdoor swimming pool and used for decades, it was repurposed into an open-air venue after its closure — right on the banks of the Wapel, a small tributary of the Ems. The no longer used swimming pools, the sunbathing lawn, the sandy beach in front of the Wapel: all of this now forms one of Westphalia's most unusual festival grounds. And Wapelbeats is the format that has brought this location to life since 2011.

Three Open-Air Dates in 2026

Wapelbeats runs as a series of events throughout the summer season. Three dates are confirmed for 2026:

May 1st, 2026 — Opening „Wapelbeats Opening“

• Chris Luno (live)
• GHEIST (live)

The start of the season — traditionally the date when the OstWestfalen electronic scene declares summer. May weather is uncertain, but the Wapelbad, with its open and partially covered areas, can handle quite a bit.

July 4th, 2026 — Summer Edition

• Swimming Paul (live)
• Paji (live)

In the middle of high summer — the date when the Wapelbad truly lives up to its name. Paji and Swimming Paul bring summery grooves directly to the water.

September 19th, 2026 — Closing

• Lovra
• Otis x Noah

The end of the season. Classic sunset set in the late summer sun, then transitioning into the night.

The performance areas at Wapelbad

Wapelbeats utilises the pool in all its diversity:

• Main stage with white sand — directly in front of the Wapel, with a wooden stage and sand dance floor („beach atmosphere“ in the middle of Ostwestfalen)
• Forest stage — smaller stage under trees with a more intimate atmosphere

This double-stage setup allows for parallel sets with different styles — and gives the audience the opportunity to switch between high-energy sets and more relaxed sounds.

3:00 PM to 11:00 PM — A Day Festival

Wapelbeats is not a night festival. It is a day festival: starting at 3:00 PM, ending at 11:00 PM. This format fits the location perfectly — by the water, with the sun on your face, with a picnic atmosphere in front of the stage. Those who go home at 11 PM will have enjoyed a full day of music and can be rested on Sunday.

Organised voluntarily, for charity

Wapelbeats is not a commercial festival. It is organised voluntarily by Wapelbeats e.V. Financial surpluses are either donated to charitable organisations or directly reinvested in the maintenance of the Wapelbad — a way in which festival culture and community engagement are directly linked. This mission gives Wapelbeats a special character and a sense of identification with the audience that commercial festivals rarely achieve.

3,500 visitors per edition

The numbers confirm its position: approximately 3,500 visitors per edition. This makes Wapelbeats one of the largest electronic day festivals in Ostwestfalen and officially considered "Ostwestfalen's largest electronic music festival".