Lockdown during Mister M`s Jazz Club
The event calendar for 2020 was full. But then Corona came. The first lockdown to fight the corona pandemic came in the middle of the concert series of Mister M`s Jazzclub. The first concert could take place as planned, the second evening was broadcasted exclusively online as a ghost concert and the third evening had to be cancelled due to the nationwide restrictions. The Kurhaus with its facilities had to close, like all other cultural institutions. The German economy came to a standstill in almost all areas for about five weeks.
Kultur-baden and first relaxations
Baden-Baden Events GmbH broke new ground with the streaming format “kultur-baden”. For the first time, live events from the Bénazetsaal in the Kurhaus were broadcasted on the Internet - concerts, cabaret and children's theatre were on the weekly changing program. From June on events with strict hygiene requirements were allowed again. So another absolute novelty in Baden-Baden was the opening of the exhibition “Digital Dreams - Experience Baden-Baden”. With Refik Anadol, Baden-Baden Events was able to engage an artist who is in great international demand, who filled the Kurhaus with life of a digital work of art.
Despite further relaxations, an end to the pandemic was not in sight. Therefore, unfortunately, the final decision was made in October to cancel the Christmas market in Baden-Baden for the first time.
„Sportsman of the Year“ and the second lockdown
The number of new infections rose again rapidly at the end of the year - a second lockdown followed, which was tightened again over Christmas and New Year's Eve. Events had to be cancelled or postponed again. But one traditional event was carried out with a lot of effort: The awarding of the "Sportsman of the Year" took place in the Kurhaus Baden-Baden - as a pure broadcast on ZDF, without viewers, guests or after-show party.
The turn of the year was unusually calm - wherever guests usually celebrate at the big New Year's Eve gala, in the Kurhaus restaurant or Casino, this year only the Kurhaus staff have been in service.
The Kurhaus becomes vaccination center
The BKV - Bäder- und Kurverwaltung is currently making an active contribution in combating the corona pandemic. The function rooms in the Kurhaus are provided for one of the district vaccination centers that have been set up across Germany. At full capacity, up to 800 patients per day can be vaccinated with the corona vaccination. The vaccination center is to be kept in operation until the middle of the year in order to speed up the containment of the pandemic.