After the arrival stop for visitors to the Wacken Festival with vehicles that was announced on Tuesday, participants who had already arrived have expressed criticism. “It’s pretty shitty. You could have prepared yourself better, simply because it had been known for weeks that it was going to rain,” Alicia from Landshut criticized the organization of the heavy metal festival. She is worried that the festival will also be canceled.
“I would even be fine if it was canceled,” said Malte from the Ahr Valley. The festival planners would have known what the weather was like. “They could have stopped it much earlier.” That’s why he’s angry.
In view of the muddy terrain, the festival organizers had issued a drastic travel stop for festival visitors with vehicles on Tuesday until the end of the festival. “We are very sad to have to make this difficult decision – for the first time in the history of the W:O:A”, they said. Due to the heavy rain of the past 24 hours and the poor condition of the camping and event areas as well as the access roads, no more vehicles could be allowed onto the site.
“That’s why all metalheads in motor vehicles of all kinds are required to cancel their trip to Wacken or not to start at all,” the organizers said. However, attempts are being made to bring vehicles that are already in the immediate vicinity of the festival site onto the site.
“Not thought through to the end and not optimally communicated”, Michael from Munich also criticized this information from the organizers. It is unclear what is meant by “immediate proximity”.
Festival co-founder Thomas Jensen has defended the actions of the organizers. Festival visitors are allowed to continue to the site, “just not by car,” said Jensen on Tuesday evening of the German Press Agency. “From hour to hour we try to implement improvements.”
Another visitor also expressed understanding for the organizers. He is incredibly sorry for everyone who had been preparing for weeks or months, said Rolf from Sauerland. “It’s a huge event and you’re powerless over it.”
The organizers did not initially announce how many of the 85,000 expected visitors were already there. According to the organizer, information on how to deal with the tickets, which cost almost 300 euros, should follow as soon as possible.
