Six Berlin clubs will host unmasked and non-distanced trial events
Berlin is taking initiatives to test the viability of safely hosting indoor events in order to prove that it is possible to reopen indoor clubs. The Senate Department for Culture and Europe is organising special trial events this weekend to gather the data needed to fully restart Berlin’s nightlife.
From 10pm on Friday, August 6 to 12pm on Sunday, August 8, six selected venues will host 2,000 unmasked clubbers to a non-distanced event. To attend, all the clubbers must take a PCR test from a specific test provider (Think.Health Hygiene Solutions) before and after this weekend’s events and also answer a survey. Vaccinated and unvaccinated attendees will be welcome. The aim is to make testing more rigorous by using this approach rather than the alternative flow tests. The more rigorous the tests and data collection, the more concrete the results will be and only good outcomes can restore the industry.
These trial events aim to measure the impact of a night in a club, where it becomes impractical to maintain mask and social distance. To assess this the Senate Department for Culture and Europe created what they call a ‘temporary SARS-CoV-2-free cohort’.
The six Berlin venues participating in this initiative are Salon Zur Wilden Renate, Kitkat, SO36, Crack Bellmer, Festsaal Kreuzberg and Metropol. Tickets for the trial events are available for purchase from today via the venues’ websites and will cost €15. An additional payment of €10 will be required, which will be refunded after the final trial, following the weekend. Full details of the organisation of these events are available on the Club Commission website and should be read carefully.
For this summer, many venues including the enigmatic Berghain have adapted to the fact that they cannot open their indoor areas, welcoming clubbers outdoors. However, there are many venues that do not have this possibility and are dependent on the success of these trial events and the decisions that the results may trigger.
Image Credit: WorldAtlas
- David Guetta: Cover Story