In the course of 2025, it was announced that the regular ZDF New Year’s Eve party at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin would be canceled and held in Hamburg for the first time. Following this cancellation, a demo alliance of cultural workers planned a new, initially temporary New Year’s Eve event in Berlin. The originally planned celebration was to become a demonstration under the motto “Save New Year’s Eve at the Brandenburg Gate”. At the same time, the Senate continued to pursue the goal of organizing a New Year’s Eve event around the Brandenburg Gate. An agreement was finally reached after the Christmas holidays: The demonstration event will take place on Straße des 17. Juni and develop into the largest New Year’s Eve dance floor in the world. Between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column, 16 techno trucks and 100 DJs will provide the musical backdrop.
The Berlin miracle has happened: Instead of strife, there is now a mega party. For a long time, however, it didn’t look like it. The dispute between the demo alliance and the Senate had escalated to such an extent that even the administrative court was called in. Seventeen days ago, the court ruled that the Senate was allowed to hold its party, citing some controversial reasons. The planned demonstration was then moved from the original parade area between the Victory Column and Brandenburg Gate in the opposite direction – from the Victory Column to Tiergarten S-Bahn station. The alliance stubbornly resisted this decision. This was followed by intensive negotiations between the Senate, the police and the organizers.
A compromise was finally reached over the Christmas period. A press release from the alliance states: “New Year’s Eve in Berlin has been saved – the longest dance floor in the world is being created between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column. On New Year’s Eve 2025/26, Berlin will have what this city is all about: size, creativity, cohesion – and an international appeal that is second to none.” Special mention is made of the constructive cooperation with the public assembly authorities and the police. The original New Year’s Eve concept has been rethought and implemented on a larger scale than ever before: Together with the state of Berlin, the world’s longest New Year’s Eve dance floor will be created on Straße des 17.
In concrete terms, this means that on December 31, the Senate Party will take place between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. – including fireworks and three DJs. However, the big party mile is already open from 6 pm to 6 am. So you can welcome in the New Year until dawn.
Important: Private New Year’s Eve rockets are strictly prohibited.