The world’s largest heavy metal festival is officially at capacity. Wacken Open Air 2026 has sold out, with all 85,000 tickets snapped up for the milestone 35th edition, which takes over the tiny German village of Wacken from July 29 to August 1. It’s another packed gathering of metalheads on the Holy Ground, and preparations are already in full swing ahead of the first arrivals.
Festival co-founder and promoter Thomas Jensen welcomed the sell-out with obvious pride. “We’re delighted to celebrate this anniversary with such a huge crowd,” he said. “Preparations here in the North are continuing at full speed, and we can’t wait to celebrate the metal party of the year with guests from all over the world in just a few days. Every year, it’s something truly special to welcome so many artists, crews and members of the community to Wacken from every corner of the planet.”
His fellow founder and promoter Holger Hübner struck an equally grateful note. “Every year we’re humbled and deeply grateful that we get to do what we love — organizing a great celebration for metalheads from around the world — and we’ve been doing it for more than 35 years now. Our teams, the village of Wacken and the surrounding communities are doing their very best to deliver a one-of-a-kind anniversary festival next week. Thank you to everyone! See you in Wacken — rain or shine!”
Fans who missed out on the official sale still have a shot at getting in. The festival is pointing latecomers to its official Wacken Ticket Market in the Wacken Ticketcenter, a platform where anyone who can no longer attend can safely resell their genuine tickets to other fans through the official system, rather than risking the resale black market.
Arrival for Wacken Open Air 2026 begins on Sunday, July 26, when the supporting program also kicks off across several stages. That builds toward the iconic Infield Opening on July 29 — the moment the metalheads storm the Holy Ground and sprint for the best spots in front of the main stages. This year’s headliners are a heavyweight lineup of Judas Priest, Sabaton, Def Leppard and Powerwolf. The broader bill also carries historic weight, with Running Wild set to deliver their final performance ever and Sepultura playing their last-ever German show as part of their farewell run.
Beyond the music, the festival has confirmed the programming for its Welcome To The Jungle, Wasteland and Wackinger Village areas, which pair live sets with a sprawling mix of show performances, workshops, comedy, readings and panel discussions. The Welcome To The Jungle Stage alone offers live podcasts from Hämatom and Saltatio Mortis, a “Hitster Quiz” with Maschine, a performance from “American Pie” star Thomas Nicholas and his band, a reading by fantasy author Maxim Mathews, and morning workouts via Metal Yoga and Metal Karate. Kreator frontman Mille Petrozza will present his book “My Heaven, Your Hell” with co-author Torsten Groß, while Dr. Holger Schmenk introduces the official Sodom biography “Sodom: Auf Kohle Geboren.” A standout on Saturday is the “Witches Of Wacken” panel featuring, among others, Alissa White-Gluz (Blue Medusa, DragonForce), Johanna Platow (Lucifer) and Sabina Classen (Temple Of The Absurd).
The Wackinger Village rounds things out with sword-fighting demonstrations, the popular Bruchenball tournament and medieval dance workshops, and is home to the Wacky Island Kids Safe Zone, where young fans can meet Captain Ratcatcher’s Rattenbande. Over in the Wasteland, the Wasteland Warriors supply motorized mayhem while the Cage Fights deliver hard-hitting action.
For those making the trip, a full stage-by-stage rundown is available through the festival’s Running Order and the free official Wacken Open Air app for iOS and Android, and organizers are encouraging fans to check the Festival ABC and shuttle bus schedules before setting off for the Holy Ground.
