Torrential rain has transformed the grounds of the world’s largest heavy metal festival, Wacken Open Air, into a slippery and unforgiving expanse of mud. As the festival opened on Wednesday in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, the organizers made the unprecedented decision to turn away many ticket holders due to the unmanageable conditions. “It does sometimes rain at festivals, but rarely so much as we’ve seen,” read a statement from the event organizers.
The four-day festival, which boasts a lineup of around 200 bands from across the globe, has become a muddy obstacle course. The grounds, once a verdant and dry space, are now a sea of squelching mud, with some areas reaching up to 30 centimeters deep. The festival’s campsite, where thousands of fans had set up their tents, has been flooded, forcing many to leave or abandon their plans to attend.
Six bands have reportedly canceled their performances, and even those who have taken to the stage have struggled to navigate the slippery surface. The Wacken Firefighters, a local band made up of firefighters from the town of Wacken, waded through the mud to perform on the main stage, earning thunderous applause from the soaked and bedraggled crowd.
In a message to fans who had not yet arrived, the organizers appealed for them to stay away, citing the “sensible level of visitors” that the festival could accommodate. Those who had either decided to leave or had yet to arrive will receive a refund. This is the first time in Wacken Open Air’s 33-year history that the festival has been forced to turn away ticket holders.
Heavy rain turns music festival Wacken Open Air into daunting mireWhile some fans, forced to wait outside the grounds before being turned away, criticized the decision and what they perceived as a lack of communication from the organizers, others on site have been embracing the muddy conditions. Some festival-goers have taken to engaging in mud fights, insisting that they will not be deterred from having a good time.
Despite the challenging conditions, the festival has not been without its highlights. The event has attracted fans from around the world, and its lineup features a diverse range of heavy metal bands from Ukraine to Japan. Headliners Iron Maiden and Megadeth are scheduled to perform on Friday evening, along with other notable acts like Uriah Heep and Heaven Shall Burn.
In between the music, fans can enjoy a range of activities, from readings and discussion panels to “Metal Yoga,” which promises to provide relief to necks and shoulders strained by too much headbanging. Amidst the mud and chaos, the festival has found a sense of camaraderie and shared experience among its attendees. As one fan quipped, “It’s not just about the music – it’s about the mud, too.”