The 4th edition of Wacken Winter Nights takes place from the 13nd until 16th of February in Wacken.

Wacken? Yes, of course we already know Wacken for the massive summer festival. But after Full:Metal:Mountain, starting 2017 they also have a winter edition of the festival in the village of Wacken itself. And since we, grim and frostbitten metalheads, can really dig a winter festival (cf. Eindhoven Metal Meeting, Winter Days of Metal), we are going back to this awesome one in 2020! Winter is coming!

For the people who already went to Wacken Open Air: imagine a winter edition of the Wackinger Village part. It’s a unique concept that combines medieval themes and markets with fantasy, folk, pagan, viking, rock, metal and more. You can immerse yourself in a long forgotten age and experience different magical theme worlds with their very own stages, which we will explain later in this preview, and enjoy intimate concerts around warming campfires. Furthermore you can stroll around the folk/metal market, take part in several workshops, and see craftsmen displaying their skills or bargain for goods. And of course enjoy the gastronomically top class medieval treats!

LINEUP / RUNNING ORDER

(Running Order; Click Here)

LOCATION

Wacken lies about 50km north of Hamburg and can be reached by driving the autobahn A23 in northern direction. For your navigation devices, you can use the address Reselithweg 17 in 25596 Wacken to get to the event area. Please watch out for signs! Wristbands are distributed opposite the entrance to the event location.

You can find a more detailed map of Wacken and the position of the festival area here.

FESTIVAL AREA

In the centre you can see the Old Village – a historical village, surrounded by a mystical spruce wood. The old village is full of peddlers, craftsman and pints. Here you’ll get everything you can imagine and desire.

At the Old Chapel there will be smaller concerts and art shows in regular intervals. Amongst them are fire shows, magician shows, knights battles as well as shows of many minstrels.

The market itself offers a big selection of historical merchants and craftsmen touting for the coins of their customers. You can taste several culinary delicacies, the taverns and innkeepers offer a big selection of drinks, and take part in lots of fun activities!

Ice Palace: Ice pillars and other frosty illusions create the ambient for this special place. This main stage has an own location inside a big closed (heated to 20-25 degrees) tent.

The Theatre of Grace borders directly to the markets of the Old Village. The stage is inside a (heated) big hall where you can also find the merchandise stands. The bands play in rotation with the Ice Palace bands. The Wacken Foundation and the Full Metal Army can be found under the roof of the Theatre as well.

As you enter the Mystic Woods you will find bars, seats and possibilities to warm up integrated into the trees. This corner is mostly wind- and weather protected in case of any not so optimal weather conditions. In the Wood Bar and the Forester’s House you will get a wide range of warm and cold drinks: You can get several different beers, warm wines like mead, „Hot Deer“, Dragon Ember (with or without booze) and also non alcoholic drinks like hot apple-cherry punch. The warm drinks will be served classical clay mugs!

In regular intervals the woods will be visited (or haunted) by magic creatures, gleeman and jugglers or traveling musicians which will enchant you with their stories, magical tricks or their ancient songs. Here music ranging from pirate shanties to classical drum and bagpipe music!

PRACTICAL INFO

– There is an Info Point at the festival entrance.
– Bring enough warm clothes and suitable camping equipment for extreme cold temperatures and snow!!
– In case of severe weather conditions you will be informed by the organisation. The best place to stay in this case is in your (closed) car or the driver’s cabinet of your camper.
– You can separate your waste at the dumpster on the camping grounds, and at the festival area.
– There is one shower camp at the camping area. The use of the shower camp as well as the flushed toilets is for free!
– Drinking horns are permitted on the Wacken Winter Nights festival ground.
– The Wacken Winter Nights Bag is a free goodie for owners of 3-dayand 2-day-tickets. It includes a lot of gimmicks and practical items. The WWNBs are distributed at the counter for wristbands.
– Cash points (ATM’s) and a supermarket can be found in the village of Wacken.

Opening hours:
Campsite:
Thursday, 13 February 2020, from 04.00 pm.

Festival ground: 
Friday, 14 February 2020 from 02.00 pm
Saturday, 15 February 2020 from 12.00 pm
Sunday, 16 February 2020 from 12.00 pm

FOOD & DRINKS

– Permitted into the festival area are the original Wacken Winter Nights cup and Drinking horns
– Due to the high injury risk glass bottles are strictly forbidden.
– Canned and/ or bottled beverages aren’t allowed to be brought to the festival ground. Beer is available in the usual festival plastic cups.

At Wacken Winter Nights you can find a great culinary diversity, including vegetarian and vegan food. Special attention will be payed to organic produce. You can taste several culinary delicacies – all of them handmade in a traditional way.

Further the mead is calling out of every corner! Taverns and innkeepers offer a big selection of hot and cold drinks, like beer, (mulled) mead, (mulled) wine and lots of non-alcoholic beverages.

A breakfast buffet is possible on Saturday and Sunday from 09.00 am – 12.00 pm at the Landgasthof “Zur Post” (Zum Wackinger) You also have the possibility to buy food and other necessities at the supermarkets and bakeries in the village.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Festival tickets do not include camping and parking. Camping grounds open on Thursday, 13 February, 2021 at 04.00 pm. This year, camping will be bookable separately. So if you want to join the camping Winter Hordes and weather proof northmen you can order camping tickets on Metaltix. A camping ticket (3 days) is either available per vehicle for 39€ (no matter how many persons are inside the vehicle) or per person for 10€.

!! Camping with low temperature and snow !!
Camping directly at or inside of your vehicle is allowed! Please be aware that the Wacken Winter Nights are set in February that´s why it could become very cold and there is a risk for heavy snowfall.

– It is highly recommended to use frost-proof camping equipment
– Use winter-proof bedrolls, well shielded camping mats (the thicker the better) and warm clothes, pillows and additionally downy feather or fleece blankets and possibly a rescue blanket
– Before you pitch your tent, de-ice the area where you want to build it up (This way you avoid additional cold from below)
– If possible search for places well-protected against wind and secure your tent as good as you can
– Take care of your clothes to keep them warm and dry all the time
– Please only use approved heatings in correct shape in your tents or caravans. The use of generators is only allowed outdoors due to the exhaust gases which are dangerous if used inside of a tent!
– Open fires and bonfires are prohibited on the festival area as well as on the camp sites!
– BBQ and campfires in fireproof bowls or baskets with an external diameter of maximum 50cm and a minimum distance from the ground of 25cm are allowed outdoors.
– It is recommended to bring an fire extinguisher for emergency cases with you!
– Only commercially purchased charcoal lighter, gas cartridges, gas bottles (only permanently installed in the camper or motorhome) and BBQ equipment are allowed. Impermanently installed LPG´s may only be used outdoors.

There is no limit as to the amount of beverages someone may bring to camping ground. Still, please do follow the safety and environmental rules:
– Due to high injury risk glass bottles are strictly prohibited.
– Trash like empty cans, plastic bottles etc. must be disposed into the refuse containers.

There will be a shower camp with warm water and flush toilets.

Camperpark

For all festival visitors who arrive with campers, caravans and winter tents or similar vehicles we offer a camping area in direct proximity to the festival area. There you can rent camping spots with an own power supply. For a fee they offer a supply of fresh water and a disposal of the waste water tanks too. This will happen with movable tank wagons. A reservation is not necessary.

!! You have to book your Wacken Winter Nights camping ticket (€39/vehicle or €10/person) AND the Camperpark ticket separately! (More info: see the “Tickets”-section below)

Wooden Cabins

Visitors of Wacken Winter Nights who do not want to renounce on a bit of comfort and a warm sleeping and living room can book a wood log hut with power supply and heating.

!! The rentable wooden cabins are completely sold out!

Hotels

A list of hotels nearby Wacken Winter Nights.

SHUTTLE

There are two shuttle bus lines during the Wacken Winter Nights.

The first line connects the train station in Itzehoe and our event area in Wacken.

This shuttle will operate from Friday until Monday. Everyone who uses this shuttle has to buy a shuttle ticket for 10€. You can buy this ticket from the bus driver and you can use it unlimited times!

The second line connects the venues in Wacken and the villages Gribbohm and Holstenniendorf.

You can use this one if you don’t want to walk from the daily parking area to the event area for example. This shuttle is free for everyone with a W:W:N ticket! The shuttle will operate from Friday through Sunday.

There is an other shuttle bus line between the campsite, Wacken Main Street & Wackinger, Wacken Church, the supermarkets and the festival area. It was €5 for a bracelet for the whole weekend to take this shuttle when needed.

TICKETS

Festival & Camping tickets
You can buy your tickets here.

3-Days Tickets: €99 
2-Days: From €72 
1-Day: From €31
Camping per vehicle – 4 nights = €39,90
Person camping – 4 nights (without vehicle) = €10

Need power for your camper / mobilhome / ..? 
Buy a camping per vehicle ticket (see above) AND a camperpark ticket.
You can buy your camperpark ticket here.

Camperpark Space A 8M X 5M €79
Camperpark Space B 10M X 6M €89
Camperpark Space C 8M X 5M €139

GET IN THE MOOD

Check out our Wacken Winter Nights III – 2019 review here!

MORE INFO

Wacken Winter Nights 2020 takes place from the 13nd until the 16th of February 2020 in Wacken, Germany.

For more information check out their website and Facebookpage.
Join the official Facebook-event.

Pictures by Wacken Winter Nights