I was there in 09 and it was horrific. The Saturday night was pure chaos. I remember the field next to mine had flames 15-20ft high from a bonfire made of tents but the fire marshal decided to come to my tent instead and extinguish a fire I had made in a bean can...
Wacken in Germany was also like this. My last time was in 2010 and in the camp site after the last day the fire brigade were just driving from one campsite to the other putting out tent fires. People were stacking up hundreds of tents into a pile and setting them alight. The whole area stunk of melted plastic, it was horrid. I was also there in 2005 and 2007, and it wasn't quite as bad, but still a mess after the last day.
Needless to say I haven't been back to Wacken since, and I instead go to smaller festivals.
What the actual fuck. I've been going to Summer Breeze the last 4 years which is also Germany, a bit smaller than Wacken, but comparable. And I've never seen anything even hinting at this. Not a single fire anywhere but stage pyro. Sunday morning everyone picks up all their shit and piles trash in the indicated locations (and there's not even all that much of it). They do have their "Less trash, more thrash" poster all over the place, but I thought I was just seeing normal German orderliness.
Must be quite the exception for you then. Went to e.g. Sputnik Spring Break quite a few times and others as well, and during leaving hours, there were quite a lot of fires, someone was even stacking a couch and a fridge on a large bonfire, leaving huge trails of thick, black smoke...
I've been to Summer Breeze 8 times, first time was 2010. It pretty much replaced Wacken and Hellfest as my "big" festival. Great festival, the biggest weakness always the lack of shade in the festival area, compared to Brutal Assault in Czech where there are large shades seating areas and a nice cool fortress too.
I've never had any problems at Summer Breeze, a bit of rubbish left behind for sure, but not much. The green camping area in particular is always spotless though, on Sunday afternoon it looks just like Monday afternoon before the fest!
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u/Low-Outlandishness14 10h ago
I was there in '09 and it was chaos, everyone seemed more concerned about drugs and burning tents down every night. Genuinely horrendous experience
Im sure some people were there for music and a good time but that isn't my memory of it
Took my tent home and didnt shit for 5 days so dont look at me....