After a chaotic start, the heavy metal festival in Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, continues with fewer visitors than originally expected. On Thursday, the bands Hammerfall, Helloween and Kreator want to rock the two big stages. Skyline, in which festival co-founder Thomas Jensen once played himself, is also expected in Wacken. The Wacken Open Air (W:O:A) lasts until Saturday night. The weather forecast remains modest.
More rain is on the way this Thursday, a meteorologist from the German Weather Service (DWD) predicted on Thursday morning in Hamburg. However, the rainfall is mostly low. Even short thunderstorms are not excluded. The dry sections would then increase towards the evening. At the beginning of the weekend it should stay dry more and more often. But in the evening the chance of showers increases again.
On Wednesday, the festival officially started with a delay in rainy weather. However, many of the originally expected 85,000 festival visitors were denied access. According to police estimates, around 50,000 fans were on the site. Because the rains have turned many places into a muddy landscape, the organizers announced a complete ban on admission. Those who were not allowed in should get their money back.
“You can’t imagine how happy we are to see so many of you,” said festival co-founder Jensen on Wednesday evening after the area in front of the main stages opened. “First of all, we want to say a massive thank you to those we’ve had to turn away.” All fans on site must be clear: “Everyone who had to stay at home, they make the party possible here.”
Due to the persistently difficult weather and terrain situation, the organizers want to publish the program on a daily basis in order to be able to react to short-term changes. The police, however, reported a quiet night. “We have a relaxed situation and no major quarrels,” said a police spokesman early Thursday morning.
