Ahead of Nibirii Festival’s sixth edition, co-founder Björn Grimm discusses the festival’s origins, its growth, and this year’s lineup.

Recently we got to chat with Björn Grimm, co-founder of Nibirii Festival, in the lead up to the festival’s 6th edition. We discussed the story behind Nibirii, how it’s grown, and what everyone can expect from it this year.

First off take us back to the beginning. Where did the idea for Nibirii Festival come from and how did it all come together?

I was listening to a Vini Vici track by coincidence at the time and it had me thinking of a concept for bringing sounds together at Bootshaus Cologne, which were underrepresented at that time. It became a successful event series pretty quickly and someone offered us a nice place (Dürener Badesee) so we thought about bringing this to the next level – and so we did!

Since that first edition Nibirii has come a long way. How has it been for you to watch it grow from a single day event to a multistage, full weekend festival?

To be honest, it is really hard for me to see it growing because it was huge for me right from the beginning and I am not the person counting and comparing numbers. I think you can compare it with being a parent and you see your child growing and so time is passing and someday you say “wow when did you become a grown adult.” I think it is similar because I was raising this event and was so close to it.

– This year you’ve pulled together an incredible lineup with the likes of Dimension, Hannah Laing, I Hate Models, and Vini Vici to just name a few. What’s the process like in pulling together such a lineup and deciding who you want on those stages?

I think booking is a really difficult task nowadays. Music is changing fast, artists are getting a lot of attention within a few days. Trying to look into the future is nearly impossible. I think the good thing is that we have a great relationship to the artists and we know what we want, and our booker is maybe one of the best in Germany. Shoutout to Paul.

– Nibirii has grown rapidly year on year. What can festivalgoers expect this year that’s maybe developed since 2025?

If we look back at last year, the Unreal stage might have been the biggest thing, and it will be for the Techno genre in 2026. But the other stages have also had a new facelift.

– Planning a festival is a huge challenge to take on. You’ve already had 5 very successful editions, but what are the emotions like for you in the buildup? Do you get nervous or is it all just excitement?

I think this is part of the deal. You will not do this with your heart if you are not getting nervous and excited, sad and happy, frustrated and the full emotional rollercoaster ride.

– How important is it to you to have each stage feel unique in both style and sound?

Stages should be great, 100%. The experience is not only created by the artists playing. It is the surrounding, the friends and people around you, the sound… everything is important. You can have the best stage in front of you but if you can’t share this with someone this stage is worthless.

– What would you say makes Nibirii different to other festivals and has kept on bringing more and more people back?

It is the vibe, the location, the local hosts we bring to the festival.

– What is your favourite thing about Nibirii?

It is the people I am seeing there. Seeing them smiling makes me happy and reminds me why I’m doing this.

– If you had to describe Nibirii in 3 words to someone who hasn’t been before what words you choose?

MUSIC, BEACH, FRIENDS

MiNT announces MiNT XL, a new 2,500-capacity Leeds venue opening September 2026, marking the brand’s most ambitious project in its two-decade history.

Yorkshire has long been a hub for electronic music in the North of England. DJs such as Hot Since 82 and Paul Woolford are among the biggest names to emerge from the county, while venues including The Warehouse and The Orbit have shaped generations of ravers.

MiNT belongs in that lineage as well, having grown from a Leeds-based nightclub into one of Yorkshire’s most recognisable electronic music brands over the past two decades. Its story began with MiNT Club in 1998, which hosted renowned names including Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice and Luciano.

The brand later expanded with the launch of MiNT Warehouse and MiNT Festival in 2012. Now, building on that legacy, MiNT is writing a new chapter, opening a new venue in September 2026, its most ambitious project to date.

Discover MiNT XL

Located in the heart of Leeds, MiNT XL will transform the former PRYZM nightclub into a reimagined 2,500-capacity venue that will represent an expansion of MiNT’s ambitions as a brand.

Speaking about the new project, marketing manager at MiNT, Mikey McMahon says: “With it being a multi-use space, not just for electronic music, the production capabilities of the building will be on another level. Mint Warehouse is more of a traditional, no-nonsense clubbing experience … but with MiNT XL, as we look to expand beyond electronic music, there’s a certain standard of production we’ll need to reach, so it’ll be a completely different setup in that sense.”

Benefiting from the venue’s three-room layout, MiNT will have the opportunity to explore new musical experiences outside of electronic music for the first time. Although the brand has a strong reputation in Yorkshire’s rave scene, and that will remain at its heart, MiNT XL will deliver new formats, with something for every music fan.

“The three-room setup definitely helps, as it allows us to programme something different in each room and give people the option to experience different sounds, atmospheres, and environments throughout the night,” mentions McMahon.

“One thing we’re really excited about is expanding into new genres and live music, which is something we haven’t explored properly before,” he adds, highlighting the wider ambitions behind the new venue.

While the building and its layout will help MiNT explore new sonic territory, taking over a space with as much history as the former PRYZM nightclub presents its own challenge. However, the team behind MiNT XL are confident they can give the venue a new identity through their own programming, unique production, and overall experience.

“We want people to walk into MiNT XL and feel like they’re part of something fresh and forward-thinking,” says Mikey McMahon who also confirmed the venue will feature a Funktion-One Vero sound system.

MiNT XL: The Experience

Despite the new location’s larger capacity, MiNT aims to maintain the atmosphere that has defined the brand throughout its history. The team is determined to preserve its intimate identity while allowing each room to have its own character.

As McMahon explains, a bigger venue does not necessarily mean a more mainstream experience. Instead, MiNT remains focused on keeping the dancefloor moving and delivering the immersive nights its audience has come to expect.

 

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“I think we’ve built a reputation over the years for putting on great line-ups, but moving forward we’re looking to move away slightly from stacked line-ups and focus more on headline performances and extended sets that go beyond the standard two-hour slot,” he says. “We think our audience would rather see their favourite artists play longer, more immersive sets and really take people on a journey.”

The marketing manager also confirmed that MiNT’s no-phones policy will remain in place for specific electronic music and flagship events, keeping the focus on the music and the connection between people on the dancefloor.

What Success Means For MiNT XL

Although the launch of MiNT XL marks another major step forward for the brand, McMahon says its success will not be essentially measured by aspects like ticket sales alone: “Success for us is about diversity in programming and creating something that goes further than just house and techno … being able to collaborate with different people, host a wide variety of events, and continue evolving creatively is just as important as ticket sales or line-ups.”

As MiNT XL prepares to open its doors in September, the venue promises to bring a new scale of nightlife to Leeds, while staying true to the culture that transformed the brand into a Yorkshire music events icon.

The opening party will set the tone for the new chapter, with a carefully curated line-up featuring Enzo Siragusa, Craig Richards, Fumiya Tanaka and Sonja Moonear taking over the decks throughout the inaugural night.

For some, this expansion may be just another venue, but for Leeds, MiNT XL presents one more sign of the city’s continuing influence on the UK’s electronic music scene.