Loveparade News

THE LOVEPARADE HISTORY

It all started in 1989 when a couple of crazy technofreaks walked behind an old vw-bus together absorbing loud bases coming from the open back doors.

"Friede - Freude -Eierkuchen" (peace happiness and cookies) was the motto and nobody seemde to be aware of the size this event would be 10 years later and what giant impact it would have on german and global musicculture.

In the next year (1990) the number of visiters was many times larger as it was on the fist loveparade.About 2000 people gathered, making it a steady event in Berlin's calender.
Year after the number of people that danced in the streets of Berlin increased with big steps, until in 1994 a national and international mediacoverage and interest had be achieved that was never seen in the past!

300000 people at the loveparade in 1995. That many ravers in the streets around Kurf�rstendamm was getting too much! The orginasation, lead by Dr. Motte, had to find an area with more room. The centre of former West-Berlin could not longer be the place to be!

The organisation searched together with the city-counsel for a new location. They decided that the Stra�e des 17. Juni between Ernst-Reuter-Platz and Brandenburger Tor, This 4.5 km long avenue was perfect to do the job! The first Loveparade here in 1996 was a huge success! It became the largest demonstration in the history of Germany, with 750000 people gathering on the motto "we are one family". The raver flooded the Tiergarten in peace and harmony but it was clear afterwarts that something had to be done about all the junk and garbage people left behind in Berlins largest park.

"Let the sun shine in your heart" was the theme of 1997's Loveparade. For the first time one million people were there, making it one of the world's biggest non-politic demonstrations. In 1998 there were again 1 million people at the Loveparade, but unfortunately "one world one future" suffered from the weathergods, creating a special atmosphere...

In 1999 was the biggest and best Loveparade ever. Great weather, great music and more than 1.5 million people! "Music is the key". At the Siegers�ule Marc Spoon, Westbam, Marusha, Paul van Dyk and Piet Blank played some of the best house and techno tunes ever! Last year (2000) gave us some colder weather, but it didn't stop and estimated 1.3 million people from having a great time. After the Loveparade 2000 people went to the Lovestern Galaktika rave in the Berliner Messe.

2001 brought the Loveparade lots of problems because the local government wouldn't allow the event on the streets of Berlin as a political demonstration. After months of talks and legal battles, 800 000 people danced at the Siegessaule. It still was a huge crowd but people got space to dance. The temperature was 25 degrees, it was partly clowdy but the sun shined all day long! Although the Loveparade sure has changed, the admosphere was great. The Loveparade in Berlin was very international this year, with trucks/d.j.'s and visitors fromm over 50 countries!