Festivals / Europe
What to wear to Wacken
No ads or affiliate links on this page
Wacken Open Air is a four-day metal festival on about 240 hectares of farmland north of Hamburg, with about 85,000 fans. Its fields are famous for mud: in 2023 waterlogged ground stopped vehicle arrivals and thousands of ticket holders could not get in. The crowd wears black band shirts, battle vests and rubber boots, with plenty of costume.
- Dates
- 28–31 July 2027
- Where
- Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein
- Gate rules
- 1 listed
- Outfits
- 3
When and where
- 28–31 July 2027 at Wacken festival grounds (about 240 ha of farm fields), Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein. Wacken Open Air (official)
- Start planning your outfit by 16 Jun 2027, six weeks out. Searches for this festival peak in the last two weeks before it opens.
- Last edition: Late July – early August 2026 (35th edition, sold out). Wikipedia: Wacken Open Air
- About 50 acts so far, including Five Finger Death Punch, Electric Callboy, Helloween, Kanonenfieber, Heaven Shall Burn, DragonForce, Hammerfall and Knocked Loose. Wacken Open Air (official)
- LOUDER €364 + €2; FASTER/HARDER €349 + €2; YOUNGER (25 and under) €279 + €2, sold out; The Pit VIP €1,399. Wacken: ticket overview 2027 (official)
- About 85,000 fans from 80+ countries Wikipedia: Wacken Open Air
- Music: Metal.
- Official site
Weather and ground
- July–August in Hamburg (nearest large station): high about 23°C, low about 13°C, about 80 mm of rain. Wikipedia: Hamburg
- Farm fields famous for mud; in torrential rain fans have been left "wading ankle-deep". The Local
- Themed areas include the medieval "Wackinger" market and the Mad Max-style "Wasteland". Wikipedia: Wacken Open Air
What’s gone wrong before
- In 2023 heavy rain waterlogged the site and organisers stopped further vehicle arrivals. Only about 61,000 of about 85,000 ticket holders got in; the rest were refunded. de.Wikipedia: Wacken Open Air
- In 2015 torrential rain left fans wading ankle-deep in mud. The Local
The dress code
Wacken has a clear, photographed uniform: black, patched and muddy, with a strong costume streak.
- Black band tees, cargo shorts, battle vests, rubber boots, corpse paint and elaborate costumes. Heidelberg24 photo report
- Metal fashion centres on black clothes, leather jackets, band T-shirts, denim or leather vests with band patches, combat boots and spiked wristbands. Wikipedia: Heavy metal fashion
- Sub-genres add their own pieces: corpse paint for black metal, bullet belts for extreme metal, chain mail and warpaint for folk and Viking metal. Wikipedia: Heavy metal fashion
- Once bands sold patches at shows, fans sewed them on as proof they had been there. Wikipedia: Cut-off
What people wore recently
- 2026: Wacken announced official 3D-printed W:O:A sneakers made with Zellerfeld (October 2026). Wacken news (official)
Outfits that work here
Shop buttons go straight to the retailer. We don’t earn anything from them yet.
Battle vest and wellies
This is the uniform in the photo reports, and the fields are famous for mud.
- Battle vest with patchesAdd a patch from every band you see.Shop at EMP
- Black band teeOfficial merch fits the scene.Shop at EMP
- Cargo shorts or black jeansShorts for heat, jeans for mud.
- Rubber bootsAnkle-deep mud is part of the history.Shop at EMPShop at AigleShop at Hunter
Rain over black
About 80 mm of rain in a typical month, and 2023 was a washout.
- Rain jacket or ponchoGoes over the vest.Shop at Rains
- Black hoodieNights drop to about 13°C.Shop at KILLSTARShop at EMP
- Belt bagBag rules for 2027 are not published; check the Festival ABC.Shop at Herschel
Wasteland costume
Costume is part of the Wacken look, and the site has a Mad Max-style Wasteland area.
- Leather or faux-leather jacketDistressed works best.Shop at KILLSTAR
- Bullet belt or studded beltAn extreme-metal staple.Shop at EMP
- Combat bootsFor a long day on the fields.
Quick answers
When is Wacken 2027?
Wacken runs 28–31 July 2027 in Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
What are the bag and item rules at Wacken?
Official list: The 2027 rules are not published yet. Check the Festival ABC and faq.wacken.com, especially for bags, before you pack. Rules change each year, so check the festival's own page before you pack.
What should I wear to Wacken?
Wacken Open Air is a four-day metal festival on about 240 hectares of farmland north of Hamburg, with about 85,000 fans. Its fields are famous for mud: in 2023 waterlogged ground stopped vehicle arrivals and thousands of ticket holders could not get in. The crowd wears black band shirts, battle vests and rubber boots, with plenty of costume. One outfit that works: battle vest and wellies. This is the uniform in the…
What is the weather like at Wacken?
July–August in Hamburg (nearest large station): high about 23°C, low about 13°C, about 80 mm of rain.
See it before you go
Scenes you’ll see here
- Metal
Black, denim, leather and a jacket covered in patches.
