Wacken 2025: A festival full of inspiration and entrepreneurial change!

Wacken 2025: A festival full of inspiration and entrepreneurial change!

On August 8, 2025, the legendary Wacken Open Air (W:O:A), which is considered the largest and most important metal festival in the world, will take place in the small village of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein. Every year it attracts over 85,000 fans who travel from more than 80 countries to this cultural highlight. This year the festival not only offers live music, but also a platform for entrepreneurial and social discussions. Under the title “What can we learn from Wacken?” Numerous speakers gather, including Dr. Peter Kreutter from WHU and Wacken Ambassador Manouchehr Shamsrizi to discuss the importance of communities for personal and professional development.

The event addresses the challenges of identity and leadership in a dynamic environment. Dr. Kreutter emphasizes the importance of new perspectives, while Shamsrizi describes the festival as a laboratory for social and technological developments. Other speakers include musicians and various industry representatives who will provide participants with valuable insights.

The creation of Wacken Open Air

The Wacken Open Air was first launched in 1990 by Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner out of a beer mood. With just 800 visitors and a focus on local bands, the festival began in a sand pit. The event grew rapidly over the years, attracting more than 85,000 metal fans in 2025 after attendance grew steadily in the 1990s. Well-known bands such as Motörhead, Slayer and Iron Maiden have performed over the years, establishing the festival as a central part of metal culture.

Wacken transforms itself into a huge metal village during the festival. Visitors can not only experience concerts here, but also visit medieval markets or watch wrestling matches. The festival has the motto “Faster, Harder, Louder” and offers a unique atmosphere. Special features such as the Wasteland Stage and yoga sessions round off the diverse offering, while the Wacken Metal Battle offers a stage for smaller bands.

The challenges and successes of the last few years

Despite the challenges caused by the corona pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the festival in 2020 and 2021, Wacken was able to build on its successes in 2022 and then again in 2024 and 2025. In 2023, due to heavy rain, only 61,000 fans were able to enter the festival, underscoring the resilience and loyalty of the metal community. The festival's creators still managed to sell 85,000 tickets for 2025, with a ticket price of 333 euros.

Wacken's influences are far-reaching, other metal festivals worldwide, such as Bloodstock in the UK, have been inspired by the innovative atmosphere and possibilities that Wacken offers. Matthias Hartmann from WHU also described the premiere in Wacken as a complete success, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and openness to new ideas. This year too, Wacken consolidated its position as a center for metal fans and as an important source of inspiration for various social issues.

The Wacken Open Air remains not only a musical highlight, but is also a place of learning and exchange that celebrates the global values ​​of community and cohesion. The festival will continue to play a central role in the international metal calendar by highlighting new perspectives and innovative approaches that go far beyond music.

For more information about the history and development of the festival one can NDR as well as Metalheadzone consult. The provides information about current developments at Wacken Open Air WHU.