Karsten Jahnke Takes On Programming Of 40,000-Cap Open-Air Venue In Hamburg, Germany

Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion GmbH and Mignon GmbH & Co. KG have announced an exclusive long-term partnership for the future hosting of concerts and major events at Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld, the famous horse racing track in Hamburg, Germany.

Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld has a capacity of around 40,000, which makes it the largest open-air venue in the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Until now, this venue has been managed by FKP Scorpio under the name “Hamburger Kultursommer”, but this will change in 2027, as Mignon GmbH & Co. KG, the operating company of the Bahrenfeld horse racing track, has agreed an exclusive partnership with Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion GmbH.

Some Pollstar Boxoffice highlights from the “Hamburger Kultursommer 2025” include German rapper and singer/songwriter Cro, who moved 20,645 tickets and grossed $1,406,124 on Aug. 29; newcomer Paula Hartmann, who sold 6,405 tickets and grossed $342,747, Aug. 20; and rap collective K.I.Z., who performed Aug. 9 last year, selling out 31,816 tickets, and grossing $2,087,911.

FKP Scorpio has been promoting even bigger stand-alone shows at the venue in the past, including, for example, two nights with Robbie Williams, Aug. 22-23, 2024, which sold a total 58,065 tickets across both shows, grossing $1,132,445.

Ed Sheeran famously sold 80,326 tickets at Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld on July 25, 2018, grossing $7,024,739, and marking a temporary pinnacle of the long-standing work between FKP and Sheeran.

From 200 to 80,000 Fans In Germany: Ed Sheeran Ruled Europe

Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion will organize events at Bahrenfeld from the start of 2027, taking over the programming of concert events at this large-scale venue.

Ben Mitha, CEO of Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion, commented, “We are really looking forward to the task ahead of further developing this wonderful open-air site together with Mignon GmbH & Co. KG and to being able to host international acts there.”

The shared aim of this partnership “is to expand the event area at the Bahrenfeld horse racing track in order to enhance the venue’s appeal and establish it in the summer tour schedules of major international and national acts,” according to a press release from Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion, which concludes that “these measures are designed to strengthen and preserve Hamburg as a music hub.”

It will also give Karsten Jahnke Konzertdirektion, Germany’s largest independent tour and concert promoter, a new capacity-option for the biggest of the 1,500 events it stages each year. The company has an unmatched open-air experience having been responsible for organizing the Stadtpark Open Air in Hamburg’s main city park since 1975; it also organizes festivals including ELBJAZZ, Amplifire, Grand Soul Supreme and Überjazz, and is involved in Reeperbahn Festival, MS Dockville and the Habitat Festival.

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