WACKENOPEN AIR

Name: Wacken Open Air
Start: 2027-07-28
End: 2027-07-31
Location: Wacken

The world's most legendary metal gathering, late July 2027 in a village of 2,000 people in northern Germany: four days, around 85,000 people from more than 80 countries, and tickets that sell out in hours.

July 28 to 31, 2027MetalGermanyWacken4 days

Tickets

Wacken Open Air 2027

The Wacken Open Air festival.
In a nutshell.

Wacken Open Air — "W:O:A" to regulars — takes place in late July 2027 in Wacken, a village of two thousand people in Schleswig-Holstein, in the far north of Germany. Created in 1990 by two friends, it has become the world's metal gathering: every summer, the fields around the village turn into a city of 85,000 people from more than 80 countries. The festival is so sought-after that tickets, put on sale a year in advance, sell out in a matter of hours — often before the lineup is even announced.

On stage, it's metal in every shade: thrash, death, black, doom, symphonic metal, classic heavy, and legends who return almost every year. Two big twin stages answer each other without a pause, a handful of sharper-edged tents round out the picture, and the W.E.T. Stage ("Wacken Evolution Tent") has given emerging bands their shot since 1997. The village itself plays along: decorated shops, a metal brass band, skull-headed entrance signs.

The site covers more than 240 hectares, almost entirely given over to camping — included with the ticket. You arrive Tuesday or Wednesday, pitch your tent in the middle of a field, and live there until Sunday. The atmosphere is known for being good-natured despite the scale: "Wacken" is as much an international family reunion as a festival. Northern German weather in late July: mild but fickle, mud is never far away.

MetalWackenCampingRare ticketsNorthern GermanyLate July

Wacken Open Air · what's confirmed

What we know about Wacken Open Air 2027.

Dates: July 28 to 31, 2027, announced by the organiser.; Confirmed
Tickets: From €366, read on the official ticket shop.; Confirmed
Line-up: First names announced, more to come.; Confirmed

"Confirmed": read on the festival's official website. "To reconfirm": announced, but not yet rechecked by us. "Estimate" or "upcoming": not yet announced by the organiser. See the official website

Wacken Open Air 2027 line-up

Headliners
not to miss.

The Wacken Open Air 2027 line-up brings together several big names of the metal scene. Here are the headliners to spot before exploring the full line-up.

Full line-up →

metal

Five Finger Death Punch

The Las Vegas band that became a safe bet in groove metal, between massive riffs and radio-ready choruses.

metal

Helloween

The Hamburg pioneers of power metal, reunited in full with Kiske and Hansen for "Pumpkins United".

metal

DragonForce

The British champions of extreme power metal, carried by guitar solos that have become legendary.

Wacken Open Air in practice

Profile of the festival.

Capacity, atmosphere, crowd, hours and on-site budget: the full profile of Wacken Open Air 2027 before you get your tickets.

Lineup

All of metal, from thrash to symphonic

Two big twin stages run without a break, tents dig into the subgenres, the W.E.T. Stage has launched emerging bands since 1997.

The legend

Created in 1990 in a field

Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner put on the first edition in front of 800 people. Thirty years on, it's THE pilgrimage of global metal.

Rare tickets

Sold out in a matter of hours

Put on sale about a year ahead, often before the lineup is announced, they sell out in 5 hours or less. You need to be ready on the day, or go through official resale.

The village

2,000 people who play along

Decorated shops, a metal brass band, the church ringing Metallica: Wacken lives on festival time for one week a year, and draws a good share of its income from it.

What to pack

Camping and rain essentials

Northern Germany in late July: 15 to 22°C, wind, showers possible. A sturdy tent, boots, raincoat, warm clothes for the night. Camping is included but you need to bring everything.

Budget

Ticket €366 + travel

The ticket covers the 4 days and general camping (a separate Access Pass is needed to enter by car). Add the flight or train to Hamburg, the car or shuttle to the village, and food.

Wacken Open Air 2027 practical info

Practical info.

Dates, hours, transport and lodging: what you need to know before you go.

Dates and schedule

July 28 to 31, 2027, Wednesday to Saturday. Campsites open Tuesday; the music starts Wednesday and runs until Saturday night.

Tickets

Sale open since 2 August 2026 on wacken.com and metaltix.com, in phases: "Faster" (€349, 10,000 tickets with a T-shirt) and "Harder" (€349) are no longer available; "Louder" at €364 + €2 fee and "Younger" at €279 + €2 (up to age 25, limited quantity) remain, plus the premium "The Pit" package at €1,399. General camping included; no day tickets. Online queue; beware of any unofficial resale.

Payment

Fully cashless on site via a rechargeable wristband (online or at kiosks). Bring a card. Free drinking water at the camping water points.

Access and transport

No train station in Wacken. From Hamburg: train to Itzehoe, then the official "Wacken Shuttle." By car: signposted camping car parks around the site, queues on arrival and departure.

Accessibility

Wacken has a "Barrier-free" scheme: accessible camping, platforms at the stages, companions, a help point. Advance registration required with the dedicated team.

TransportWacken is a village with no train station: go via Hamburg, then shuttle or car.

By plane: Hamburg Airport (HAM), ~70 km away. Direct flights from Paris, Geneva, Brussels and most European capitals.
By train + shuttle: From Hamburg, regional train to Itzehoe (~50 min), then the official "Wacken Shuttle" to the site. The recommended way without a car.
By car: A23 motorway from Hamburg, then signposted country roads. Camping car parks are around the site; expect long queues on arrival on Tuesday and departure on Sunday.
From Scandinavia: The festival draws many Danes and Swedes: car via the bridge/ferry, or train to Hamburg then shuttle.

See transport options →

AccommodationAlmost everyone camps: it's included, and there's almost no alternative on site.

Camping: Included in the ticket, in fields around the site. General areas (arrive early), and more comfortable paid options: "Wacken Firefighter", quiet camping, pre-pitched tents, motorhome pitches.
Indoors: Almost impossible in Wacken itself. A few hotels and rooms in Itzehoe (20 min) and around, snapped up and expensive during the festival.
Hamburg: Staying in Hamburg and shuttling back and forth is possible but long (2h each way). Reserved for those who really don't want to camp.
Gear: Everything has to be brought: a wind-resistant tent, mattress, a stove if wanted, a tarp. On-site stalls help out, at festival prices.

See places to stay →

DestinationSchleswig-Holstein, between the North Sea and the Baltic, is worth a few extra days.

Nearby: Itzehoe and the Stör valley, the North Sea coast and the Wadden Sea national park (UNESCO heritage) an hour to the west.
Cities: Hamburg (port, Speicherstadt, Reeperbahn), Kiel and Lübeck on the Baltic, all less than two hours away.
Weather: Early August in northern Germany: 15 to 22°C, changeable sky, sea wind, showers possible. Nights drop to around 12°C.

Information last updated on October 4, 2026

Wacken Open Air aftermovie

The vibe of the
festival.

The official aftermovie from the 2026 edition (the festival's 35th anniversary), published by WackenTV: the field, the twin stages and the sea of festival-goers.

Wacken Open Air 2027 line-up