WACKEN OPEN AIR Festival Organizers Ask Visitors To Leave Cars At Home Due To Bad Weather

The organizers of Germany's Wacken Open Air have issued a travel ban for ticket holders with cars and trucks due to the "ongoing difficult weather situation" on the festival grounds.

As a result of heavy rain in recent days and more rain expected in the next 24 hours, no more vehicles will be allowed onto the site.

Earlier today, the Wacken Open Air organizers released the following statement: "All journeys to Wacken Open Air with motor vehicles of all kinds must be stopped with immediate effect.

"Due to the ongoing difficult weather situation, and with the additional amount of rain in the last 24 hours, the resulting condition of the camping areas, event areas and access roads unfortunately means that no more motor vehicles can enter the camping area, without risking the safety and security of those on site.

"Therefore, all metalheads in motor vehicles of all kinds are urged to cancel their trip to Wacken if already en route, or not to start at all. This applies until the end of the festival.

"For those vehicles that are already currently in the immediate vicinity of the festival at the 'Holy Ground', we continue to make every effort to get you on site.

"We are currently clarifying further information on how to handle your tickets and will announce it as soon as possible.

"We are very sad to have to make this difficult decision - for the first time in the history of W:O:A."

The organizers previously said that attempts would be made to bring vehicles that were already in the immediate vicinity to the Wacken Open Air site onto the festival grounds.

"We have to tow each vehicle individually to the targeted parking space with a tractor, which takes a lot of time for every single vehicle. All tractors are in continuous use day and night on all areas," they said in a statement.

Around 85,000 fans were expected to attend this year's installment of the annual metal festival, which sold out within six hours of tickets going on sale a year ago. This marked the fastest sellout in Wacken's history.

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN are headlining this year's edition of Wacken Open Air, which takes place annually in Wacken, a village with a population of just about 2,000.

Up to 85,000 people attend the event, which is 32 years old.

The first Wacken Open Air event in 1990 drew less than 800 people, but it has since grown to become the biggest open-air festival of its kind.

Around 30 percent travel from other countries to the festival, which over recent years has been growing in popularity.

200 bands performed at last year's Wacken Open Air, including headliners SLIPKNOT, POWERWOLF and JUDAS PRIEST.

Wacken Open Air was forced to take a break for two years due to coronavirus restrictions.

Wacken Open Air normally does not announce the names of its headliners before tickets go on sale. Still, the festival usually sells out within hours.

The festival also doesn't sell VIP access or upgrades and all purchases are for all the days without a single-day ticket option, something they did away with nearly two decades ago.

Image credit: YouTube / The Metalheads Way