A rural German village once again transforms into the beating heart of heavy metal culture, welcoming fans for a celebration decades in the making.
The world’s biggest heavy metal festival has officially returned as Wacken Open Air 2026 welcomes around 85,000 fans from across the globe to the small village of Wacken in northern Germany. Running from July 29 to August 1, the festival celebrates its 35th anniversary with nearly 200 bands, expanded infrastructure, and a program that reflects both its rich legacy and continued evolution.
Festivalgoers began arriving earlier this week, with organizers reporting smooth traffic flow thanks to improved routing systems. Favourable weather has also set the stage for what promises to be one of the most memorable editions in the festival’s history.
The celebrations began in traditional Wacken fashion. The Wacken Firefighters opened the festivities with a performance at the historic Landgasthof, the venue where the festival’s story first began. Festival co-founder Holger Hübner, known to fans as DJ Hüby, later welcomed campers with a DJ set from a fire truck before hometown favourites Skyline closed the opening day’s festivities.
Heavyweight lineup for Wacken Open Air 2026
This year’s lineup spans every corner of heavy music. Legendary acts including Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Sabaton, Lamb of God, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf and Savatage headline the anniversary edition. Fans can also expect emotional farewell performances from Brazilian metal pioneers Sepultura, who will play their final German show, and German heavy metal legends Running Wild.
Beyond the music, Wacken continues to offer a packed cultural program featuring author readings, live podcasts, film screenings, church services, weddings and panel discussions. One highlight includes the “Witches of Wacken” discussion featuring prominent women from the metal community, while the documentary Wacken – Hearts Full of Metal will stream free on MagentaTV during the festival week.
The anniversary also celebrates an extraordinary journey that began in 1990 with just 800 attendees and six bands performing on a former gravel pit. Today, fans from more than 80 countries gather annually on the Holy Ground, making Wacken one of heavy music’s most recognisable global events.
Following the weather challenges of recent years, organizers have continued investing in the festival site with improved roads, emergency routes and visitor facilities to enhance comfort and safety while preserving Wacken’s famously communal atmosphere.
“A very special festival lies ahead of us, and we’re excited to celebrate with this incredible community for the 35th time,” says festival co-founder Holger Hübner. “We’re deeply grateful for the loyalty our fans have shown us over the years. Their continued support is the reason we’ve been able to do what we love for more than three decades. We have the best fans in the world!”
Three and a half decades after its humble beginnings, Wacken Open Air remains more than a festival. It continues to unite generations of metal fans while proving that the spirit of the Holy Ground is stronger than ever.
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