Rush for the Mud Festival approaching in Wacken
The Wacken Open Air 2025 festival, held in the small town of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, was a resounding success, despite the challenging weather conditions and other obstacles. The festival, which took place from July 29 to August 1, was officially sold out, with 85,000 fans in attendance.
The festival was marked by heavy rainfall, with up to 39.3 liters of rain per square meter recorded at the start of the event. This resulted in the infield, the area in front of the two main stages, turning into mud within hours after opening. Despite this, the event director, Daniel Schlatter, stated that the arrival was relaxed, and they were able to handle the mud. Rescue service director Volker Böhm also noted that no one was nervous when the rain came on Wednesday.
In terms of safety, the number of recorded offenses decreased compared to 2024, with 68 offenses reported this year, compared to 86 in the previous year. The rescue service reported 10 to 15 percent fewer deployments than in 2024, with around 1,000 helpers, including 700 volunteers, on duty. Nevertheless, 150 fans were taken to a hospital, and around 2,800 people were cared for by the rescue service.
The head of the Itzehoe police directorate, Frank Matthiesen, described the deployment as successful from the police's point of view. The festival founder and organizer, Thomas Jensen, praised the metal fans for creating a great atmosphere in the mud and sludge.
The festival was not just about music and mud, however. The organizers paid tribute to the late rock icon Ozzy Osbourne with a drone show. The lineup for the event included major acts such as Def Leppard, In Flames, Lamb of God, Powerwolf, Savatage, The Gathering, and Nevermore, among others. More bands are expected to be announced as the festival date approaches. Tickets are available for presale starting early August 2025.
The Wacken Open Air 2026 festival, celebrating its 35th anniversary, has already announced its first wave of 35 bands expected to perform. The lineup includes Def Leppard, In Flames, Powerwolf, Savatage, Allt, Airbourne, Any Given Day, Blood Command, Blood Fire Death – A Tribute to Bathory, Broken by the Scream, Einherjer, Emperor, Europe, Faun, Future Palace, Gutalax, Grand Magus, Insanity Alert, H-Blockx, Kupfergold, Lamb of God, Luna Kills, Mantar, Nevermore, Orbit Culture, Paleface Swiss, Pig Destroyer, Running Wild, Sepultura (notably performing their farewell show in Germany), Ten56, The Gathering, The Hardkiss, Thundermother, Thrown, and Tryptikon. Ticket prices for next year will increase from 333 to 349 euros.
For those who secured one of the first 10,000 tickets on-site, a price increase of 16 euros for food will be credited. For the departure of the fans, 30 tractors were ready, but self-help efforts from fans are relied upon to avoid further damaging the meadows.
The Wacken Open Air 2026 festival is scheduled from July 2 to August 1, 2026. Jensen replied that they have time when asked about Metallica coming in 2026.
[1] Wacken Open Air official website [2] Wacken Open Air 2025 press release [3] Wacken Open Air 2026 lineup announcement
In spite of the challenging weather conditions, the festival director praised the metal fans for creating an enjoyable atmosphere despite the mud. The lineup for the Wacken Open Air festival included various music acts beyond just heavy metal, such as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with a drone show.
For music enthusiasts, tickets are available for presale starting early August 2025, with major acts like Def Leppard, In Flames, and Powerwolf already announced for the 2026 event, celebrating the festival's 35th anniversary.
