Wacken Open Air festival site undergoes major excavation

A picture from Wacken Open Air site

Wacken Open Air festival site is undergoing major excavation as organisers work to restore the area and get it ready for 2017’s event.

Excavators, tractors and bulldozers were used to remove sinks and elevations in the ground as water accumulated and could no longer drain off from the site.

The drainage system has also been expanded and improved as part of the second phase, with a canal being built to absorb the surface water of the entire site. An additional water storage has also been constructed – with surplus water directed into the Kiel Canal.

The last phase focuses on planting the field. As grass cannot sustain itself long-term under the drastic impact of large-scale festivals, organisers are planting clover and mustard seed next to field grass. This keeps the soil well-aerated and works as a natural drainage due to their deep roots.

Other areas have been fixed with gravel to secure the festival ground and the channels of supply.

Organiser Holger Hubner says: “Over the last few years, we have reached the limits of what we can expect from our ‘Holy Wacken Land’ and the visitors.”

Watch videos of the construction work below.

Napalm Death, Lacuna Coil, Amon Amarth and Emperor are among a raft of acts announced for next year’s Wacken Open Air, which takes place from August 3-5.

This year’s event saw Dio Disciples joined by a hologram of the late Ronnie James Dio on stage – which was “the first time a hologram has been accompanied by a live band in a traditional concert setting.”

Iron Maiden’s Wacken set to be streamed live globally

Former TeamRock news desk member Christina joined our team in late 2015, and although her time working on online rock news was fairly brief, she made a huge impact by contributing close to 1500 stories. Christina also interviewed artists including Deftones frontman Chino Moreno and worked at the Download festival. In late 2016, Christina left rock journalism to pursue a career in current affairs. In 2021, she was named Local Weekly Feature Writer of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards.