Heavy downpours transform a marshy area into a mucky field
The Wacken Open Air festival, held in Germany, is powering through despite the persistent rain and muddy conditions. Guns N' Roses are set to headline on Thursday evening, marking the finale of their European and Middle Eastern tour, and other acts such as Gojira, Papa Roach, Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Apocalyptica, and Michael Schenker are expected to perform.
The festival, which continues until Saturday, August 2nd, has been a "real stress test" for the unique Wacken mats, made of rushes, moor grasses, jute yarn, and coconut fibers, according to Elena Zydek, the project leader of "Klimafarm" at the Nature Conservation Foundation.
Despite the heavy rain, the police's work in the night has been limited, with the atmosphere remaining good and largely peaceful. Festival-goers Tom and Dennis, for instance, have expressed optimism, with Tom stating that everything is good despite the muddy conditions, and Dennis emphasizing that it can only get better.
To manage the muddy conditions, several measures have been taken. Over 3,000 cubic meters of wood chips have been used on the festival grounds to make the playing fields playable, a long-standing practice aimed at maintaining accessibility despite rain. A drainage system is also in place to channel water away and reduce flooding and mud accumulation on key pathways and areas. Assistance from local farmers with tractors has been enlisted to pull stuck vehicles out of muddy spots, helping maintain traffic flow and access. Stewards advise festivalgoers to keep tow hooks ready as a precaution for potential vehicle recovery or movement in muddy conditions.
The temperature could reach above 20 degrees, with temperatures around 17 degrees on Thursday. Despite the mud, the festival continues operations, embracing the classic wet and muddy Wacken weather, with organizers and fans prepared to adapt as needed.
Unfortunately, incidents have occurred. An employee of the security service suffered minor injuries on Wednesday evening during an altercation with a festival attendee, and the police initiated a criminal investigation against the assailant for bodily harm. Additionally, two unknown men allegedly harassed a woman inappropriately, and the officers filed a report for sexual harassment.
Despite these incidents, the spirit of the festival remains high. Visitors are not letting the weather dampen their spirits, and under one festival-goer's pavilion, it remained dry, with plenty of beer available. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are still possible in the coming days, according to the German Weather Service (DWD), but for now, the rain has stopped.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) and his Kiel colleague Tobias Goldschmidt (Greens) visited the Wacken Open Air on Thursday to witness the festival's resilience firsthand. The ministers advocated for a project involving mats made of rushes and other moor grasses on a 200-meter-long test stretch at the festival, demonstrating the potential for sustainable solutions in the face of challenging weather conditions.
As the festival continues, it serves as a testament to the power of music and community spirit, bringing people together despite the challenges presented by the weather.
- Festival-goers, such as Tom and Dennis, are adapting to the muddy conditions and remain optimistic, embracing the classic wet and muddy Wacken weather.
- With the temperature predicted to reach above 20 degrees, music fans are enjoying outdoor-living experiences at the Wacken Open Air festival, despite the occasional shower and thunderstorms forecasted by the German Weather Service (DWD).
