Wacken Open Air
About
Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) was founded in 1990 by Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner in the rural village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. What began as a small gathering of 800 fans in a farmer’s field has grown into the world’s largest heavy metal festival, welcoming over 85,000 attendees annually.
The festival is renowned for its incredible sense of community, with fans travelling from over 80 countries to what is affectionately known as the Holy Land of Metal. The village of Wacken (population ~1,800) is temporarily transformed into the world’s largest metal city each summer.
W:O:A has hosted virtually every major act in heavy metal across its history, and a Wacken invitation is considered among the highest honours in the metal world. The festival’s infrastructure is remarkable — multiple stages, camping for over 75,000, and the legendary “Wacken spirit” that keeps fans returning year after year.
