Germany Nothing to do with mud: midsummer in the Mecca of metalheads

The water comes from the tank trailer in Wacken this summer. A tractor uses it to moisten one of the paths at the heavy metal festival (W:O:A) in Schleswig-Holstein.

After mud problems last year, the metal scene is happy about 26 degrees and bright sunshine. "Sunshine is better than getting stuck in the mud," says Bodil. The 24-year-old comes from a small village nearby. But she is prepared.

Most of the expected 85,000 metalheads, as the scene calls itself, have it further to go. This is the second time Sergio has traveled from Portugal since 2005. After his wedding, he now wants to show his wife the festival he has been raving about to her for years. You simply have to experience it. When setting up the tent, his camping neighbors immediately offered him beer. "They don't know you here, yet they treat you almost like brothers," he says, describing the special atmosphere.

700 liters of beer and an old fire engine

Martin from Lower Saxony has traveled to Wacken with around 40 other people. This is the tenth or eleventh visit for the metal fan from the Osnabrück region. They bought a house right on the main street of the small town for "fun and games". After the festival, they plan to use it as at least a vacation apartment. The man from Lower Saxony came to Wacken in an old, discarded fire engine. "The big advantage is: Nine-seater and plenty of cargo space for lots of beer," he says. There were 15 crates and 8 pallets on board. In total, the group brought around 700 liters with them, he says.

The festival has changed a lot in recent years and merchandising has become more expensive, says Martin. More and more tourists are coming to Wacken who are not metal fans but want to experience the festival. The reason for this is the hype surrounding Wacken. But that doesn't bother him. "It's just completely relaxed, it's like a vacation for us."

Less traffic jams

According to the police, the arrival of the fans has gone without any major problems so far. According to the organizers, 52,000 metal fans had already reached Wacken by the afternoon.

Last year, the organizers had imposed an admission ban for the first time in the festival's history for safety reasons due to the capricious weather. In the end, only 61,000 visitors came to the site. The arrival concept was therefore changed and the metal fans were directed along different routes.

The main street was already very busy before the official start of the festival. Metal fans, mostly dressed in black, stroll through the town, queue up in front of the ice cream parlor or lug beer supplies to the campsite. In the afternoon, an announcement is made to festival visitors: "The outdoor pool is full, they're not letting anyone in right now." Around 400 people were already waiting to get in.

"They're not causing any trouble"

Festival-goers kept walking past Walter's house. The 79-year-old watches the hustle and bustle outside his garden fence. "We're always happy when they come. And also when they leave," says the man from Wacken. "They don't cause any trouble." Walter wears a T-shirt from the 1992 festival, but he doesn't go to the concerts himself. "It's loud enough here." After all, the stages are only 800 meters away as the crow flies.

The festival officially begins on Wednesday, with the last concerts ending on Sunday night. It is considered one of the biggest heavy metal festivals in the world. Every year, 85,000 fans from all over the world make the community of 2,000 inhabitants the center of the scene for several days. One of the headliners are the Scorpions. Korn, Amon Amarth, In Extremo, Blind Guardian and Gene Simmons are also expected to perform. Tickets for 2024 sold out within four and a half hours.

Bodil's girlfriend Lia moved to Wacken with her boyfriend a year ago. "We met here in 2022. The love for the festival connects us." She grew up with metal through her father, says the 27-year-old. She is happy about the better weather this year: "Like now - 26 degrees - is actually perfect."

Fire alarm

From the police's point of view, there have only been minor incidents so far. "It's been super peaceful," said a police spokesperson. In the early hours of the morning, however, the fire department had to be called out to the site. At around 4.00 a.m., a tent with merchandise caught fire for unknown reasons. Despite the rapid intervention of the fire department, the flames spread to two vehicles and three tents. One car was completely burnt out and another suffered considerable damage. Three people were treated for suspected smoke inhalation.