Image: Wacken Open Air 2026 Live
When Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen organized the very first Wacken Open Air in the small village of Wacken back in 1990, they probably had no idea what it would eventually become. Today, 36 years and 35 editions later, W:O ranks among the biggest metal festivals in the world. Every year, tens of thousands of fans travel from across the globe to northern Germany to be part of the experience. This year, 85,000 metalheads made the pilgrimage to the Holy Ground, making the festival a complete sell-out once again.
Wacken: More Than Just a Festival
Wacken is far more than just another music festival. Anyone who has ever spent a week there knows exactly what that means. During festival week, the entire village transforms into one giant metal community where visitors from all over the world celebrate alongside the local residents. Fans from every corner of the globe gather on the "Holy Ground," as the festival site is affectionately known. Wacken co-founder Thomas Jensen knows just how unique that is.
"We're all Wacken in one way or another," he says. "I enjoy every second of being here. Once everything gets going, I barely have time for anything else, but when I walked across the infield on Monday, it felt just as magical as it does every single year."
More than seven stages once again welcomed international artists to Schleswig-Holstein. Some bands have become Wacken regulars, including In Flames, Judas Priest, Powerwolf, Heaven Shall Burn, and Arch Enemy. Others, such as Def Leppard, Paleface Swiss, Guilt Trip, thrown, and Kim Dracula, made their Wacken debut this year. Whether it was a band's first appearance or their tenth, the crowd welcomed everyone with the same enthusiasm.
Keeping Up with the Times
This year's lineup leaned heavily toward classic rock and metal, something that sparked mixed reactions among fans before the festival. Some had hoped for more modern acts, while others were thrilled with the abundance of legendary names. The organizers have already responded for next year, announcing several metalcore and hardcore bands for the 2027 edition—but more on that later.
Across the four official festival days, music filled the schedule from morning until late at night. With bands constantly rotating across the stages, fans could easily spend every waking minute watching live performances. And for anyone wanting a break from concerts, there was plenty else to explore. Besides staples such as Metal Yoga and other activities on the festival grounds, the village itself offered countless attractions. Wacken's main street transformed into a lively festival promenade where local businesses, clubs, and residents served food and drinks. Back on the festival grounds, visitors could browse handmade art, shop at the Farmer's Market, or even get a tattoo or piercing.
Of course, music remained the heart of the festival. The Louder and Faster Stages were packed every evening, especially during the headline performances. Airbourne, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf, Sabaton, In Flames, Judas Priest, and Def Leppard all drew enormous crowds, turning the Holy Ground into one giant cloud of dust as thousands of fans jumped, moshed, and sang along.
One Highlight After Another
One of the standout moments came on Wednesday when The Butcher Sisters and Electric Bassboy, the DJ side project of Electric Callboy, officially kicked off the festival. Their party atmosphere proved to be the perfect way to open the anniversary edition. Unsurprisingly, Electric Callboy have already been confirmed for next year's festival.
Away from the main stages, the schedule was just as packed. Paleface Swiss, Bleed From Within, Thy Art Is Murder (with their new vocalist), Vended, and P.O.D. delivered crushing performances on the Louder Stage. Meanwhile, Future Palace, Our Promise, ten56., Orbit Culture, Guilt Trip—and many more—set the Headbanger's Stage, W:E:T Stage, and Wasteland Stage on fire. Fans showcased some seriously impressive two-step moves throughout the weekend. Respect!
Speaking of respect: on the final festival day, Heavysaurus opened the main stages—and the turnout was incredible. The dinosaur rockers didn't just entertain millennials and older metalheads; they especially won over the youngest fans. For this special performance, Wacken temporarily relaxed its age restrictions, allowing children aged six and above to enter the infield when accompanied by a parent or guardian. A lovely gesture, and one that saw countless tiny devil horns raised high into the air.
Another unforgettable highlight was Heaven Shall Burn's intimate club show at the Landgasthof Wacken. During festival week, the venue's LGH Clubstage attracts huge crowds—not only thanks to the legendary guitar donated by Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, but also because of its unique atmosphere. For their exclusive "Pay With Your Blood" performance, Heaven Shall Burn delivered a set unlike anything they've played in years. Shirts didn't stay dry for long—least of all vocalist Marcus's. Next year, they'll return to the festival's main stage. Quite the rise, we'd say.
Ticket sales for next year's edition are already underway, and judging by the first lineup announcements, the organizers have started strong.
"You only learn from your screw-ups," Thomas Jensen says. "It's never easy, but when something doesn't work out, you have to learn from it—and then you make it better next time."
Wacken Open Air 2027 has already confirmed Electric Callboy, Five Finger Death Punch, Helloween, Knocked Loose, Heaven Shall Burn, Make Them Suffer, Malevolence, Imminence, Carnifex, and many more.
We're already counting down the days. See you on the Holy Ground next year!
