What's so special about Wacken?

Wacken is synonymous for one of the largest open-air music festivals in the world. Every year more than 70,000 people are coming to the small town in northern Germany in order to enjoy the best Metal bands in the world. The history of the festival started in 1990 when only a bunch of people came there and listened to local bands. However, over the time the festival grew in number of vistors and reputation of the performing bands. Still, one group of musicians can be seen live on stage every year - the Wacken Firefighters. The brass band of the local fire brigade is traditionally opening the festival.

For the festival 2010 the following bands were already anounced to participate: HOLY GRAIL, Smoke Blow, Ill Niño, 1349, Arch Enemy, Alice Cooper, Atrocity, Broilers, Cliban, Candlemess, Cannibal Corpse, Corvus Corax, Cricified Barbara, Debauchery, Degradead, Delain, Despised Icon, Fiddlers Green, Grave Digger, Iron Maiden, Mötley Crüe, Slayer, Varg.

Where to stay during the festival?

Finding accommodation for 70,000 people is quite a challenge for the organizers. Thus, most of the visitors will stay on the large camping ground. For more information about camping during the festival visit the official website. An alternative would be to stay in a hotel in one of the surrounding towns and villages. However, we would recommend staying in a decent, cheap and clean private accommodation. Many residents of the Wacken region offer a room, an apartment or a private camping ground in their garden with access to a proper bathroom to visitors of the festival. Just have a look at the map to find out where you could find a place to sleep during the festival.