Best Music Festivals in Germany

Believe it or not, Germany is so much more than beer and sausage. There are so many defining features and qualities, such as stunning landscapes, beautiful brick gothic architecture, beaches, an unreal music scene (particularly in Berlin, as many ravers will know) and, of course, some of the best music festivals around the world.

As the country’s capital has such a rich, crucial electronic music scene, there are plenty of fests for keen ravers. But you can also find pop, rock, metal, indie and more in Germany’s eclectic range of music festivals. 

As there are so many to choose from, we thought we’d make a list of the best, so you have the best starting point. Here are a few of the best German music festivals…

 

 

Rock Am Ring & Rock Im Park

Image: Rock Am Ring / Rock Im Park on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Foo Fighters, Kings Of Leon, Die Toten Hosen, Limp Bizkit, Tenacious D, Bring Me The Horizon 

When: Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th June 2023

Where: Nrburg, Nürburg & Zeppelinfeld, Nuremberg

These two sister festivals are known around the world as two of the biggest and best rock music festivals. Well respected in the heavier scene, the Germanic rock festival has welcomed many legendary acts including Slipknot, Paramore, Tool, Slayer, Sonic Youth, Rage Against The Machine, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, The White Stripes, and so many more. This year’s lineup is looking as hard as ever, and with a crowd that’s known for giving it their all, either of these mammoth festivals is worth considering if you're looking towards Germany for your festival this year.

 

Find more information on Rock am Ring 2023 - here / Find more information on  Rock Im Park 2023 - here

 

---

 

Melt Festival

Image: Melt Festival on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Beabadoobee, The Blessed Madonna, FKA Twigs, Folamour, Marcel Dettmann, Nia Archives, Slowthai, Solomun, TSHA

When: Thursday 8th - Sunday 11th June 2023

Where: Ferropolis, Gräfenhainichen

Melt Festival merges multiple genres including various electronic genres, pop, hip hop and more. This year’s lineup speaks for itself with plenty of incredible artists from top to bottom. Those who often find themselves frustrated as the party ended before it could peak will likely enjoy the “Sleepless Floor”, the party that doesn’t stop, taking ravers from Thursday all the way through to Monday. And when you’re feeling like death after going for god knows how long, relaxing by Lake Gremmin might be a good idea.

 

Find more information on Melt Festival 2023 - here

 

---

 

Airbeat One Festival

Image: Airbeat One Festival on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Boris Brejcha, Charlotte De Witte, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Paul Van Dyk, Steve Aoki, Timmy Trumpet

When: Wednesday 12th - Sunday 16th July 

Where: Neustadt-Glewe Airport, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

An unusual setup for a festival, Airbeat One sees an airport transformed into another world every year for this mad dance, techno, house and hardstyle music festival. Airbeat is one of the most popular festivals of its kind in Europe, and with such a cracking lineup and unreal production, we don’t think that’ll change any time soon. If you’re looking for a massive one, consider checking out this monster of a fest.

 

Find more information on Airbeat One Festival 2023 - here

 

---

  

MS Dockville Festival 

Image: MS DOCKVILLE Festival on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Girl In Red, Giant Rooks, Schmyt, 070 Shake, Noga Erez, OG Keemo, Paula Hartmann, Kytes, Ennio

When: Friday 19th - Sunday 21st August

Where: Wilhelmsburg, Hamburg

Ran by a non-profit organisation that runs art camps to provide children with a space to unleash their creative sides, MS Dockville is a cute, nature-surrounded festival that around 25,000 people attend each year. Artists on the bill are diverse with acts creating hip-hop, pop, indie, electronic, dance, RnB and soul tunes. And such an artsy paradise would be incomplete without art installations and other visual arts.

 

---

 

Wacken Open Air

Image: Wacken Open Air on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Iron Maiden, Doro, Megadeath, Anthrax, While She Sleeps, Kreator, The Dropkick Murphys, Skindred

When: Wednesday 2nd - Saturday 5th August 2023

Where: Wacken Open Air, Wacken

Throw your horns in the sky and open up the pit because Wacken Open Air has delivered another unreal heavy metal and hard rock lineup to knock all the rest out of the park. With so many metal legends on the lineup, WOA is a no-brainer. Going strong since 1990, the festival has gained a spectacular reputation among the metal community as it champions the biggest names in the game while still shining a light on the rising stars of the scene.

 

Find more information on Wacken Open Air - here

 

---

 

Sea You Beach Festival

Image: Sea You Beach Festival on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Boris Brejcha, I Hate Models, Camelphat, Fisher, Pan-Pot, Alfred Heinrichs, Lilly Palmer, Jan Blomqvist

When: Friday 14th - Sunday 16th July 2023 

Where: Tunisee, Freiburg

One of Germany’s most loved house and techno festivals will arrive again in July in one of the hottest parts of the country. Setting this fest apart from the rest on the list is better weather, a stunning lake for cooling off and wakeboarding in, and of course, the beach. The seven stages are all unique, creating their own atmosphere. For example, one stage has a mild resemblance to the Sydney Opera House, another resembles a greenhouse, one is on water, and one features an eagle with its wings spread. 

 

---

 

Nature One Festival

Image: Nature One Festival

2023 Lineup: N/A

When: Friday 4th - Sunday 6th August 

Where: Pydna, Kastellaun

Ever raved on a former missile base? Here’s your chance! Nature One is the biggest, most reputable electronic music festival in Germany. Split into four head floors and nineteen club floors, there’s plenty to check out, and you’re certain to find something that suits your tastes. The music ranges from techno, drum and bass, house, trance, and more, so you can keep each member of your group happy. 

 

Find more information on Nature One Festival 2023 - here

 

---

 

Lollapalooza Berlin

Image: Lollapalooza Berlin on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Imagine Dragons, David Guetta, SDP, Alligatoah, Zara Larsson, Lost Frequencies, Rina Sawayama, Meute

When: Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th September 

Where: Olympiastadion & Olympiapark, Berlin

After gaining worldwide respect and a dedicated fanbase, Lolla, which started in Chicago, branched out, making Germany the first European location for the festival. The massive multi-genre festival attracts thousands of music fans looking to enjoy the hottest names in music today, with lineups in the past including huge names like Swedish House Mafia, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Liam Gallagher, Foo Fighters and more. 

For its 2023 edition Lolla in Berlin looks set to match such incredible artists, with the likes of Imagine Dragons, and David Guetta headlining, and amazing acts like Zara Larsson, Lost Frequencies, and Rina Sawayama filling up some of the lineup announced so far. Basically, it's gonna be absolutely massive, and we cant wait to be down there with you.

 

Find more information on Lollapalooza Berlin 2023 - here

 

---

 

Hurricane Festival

Image: Hurricane Festival on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Billy Talent, Enter Shakari, Muse, The Lumineers, Placebo, Queens of the Stone Age, The 1975, Loyle Carner

When: Friday 17th - Sunday 19th June 

Where: Eichenring, Scheessel

Hurricane Festival will go off this June with some of the best live acts in rock, pop, indie, electronic, punk, and more, including Billy Talent, Enter Shakari, Muse, The Lumineers, Placebo, Queens of the Stone Age, The 1975, and Loyle Carner. Some list that. As such a highly desired festival, attracting around 70,000 people each year, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on for your Germanic escapades. And if, for whatever reason, you’d rather venture to southern Germany, you can check out Hurricane’s sister festival, Southside in Neuhausen ob Eck.

 

---

 

Time Warp DE

Image: Time Warp DE on Facebook

2023 Lineup: Adam Beyer, Amelie Lens, Boris Brejcha, Charlotte De Witte, Joeseph Capriati, Kolsch, Marco Carola, Pan-Pot, The Blessed Madonna

When: Friday 1st April 2023 

Where: Maimarkthalle, Mannheim

It's finally time, Time Warp is returning after many years off to bring you the best celebration of dance music in the whole of Germany. We can guarantee that ravers all across the globe, particularly in Europe, will have the date marked and underlined in their calendars as Time Warp is easily one of the most prestigious techno music events on the continent. 

Plus, let's be real, just look at that lineup, they arent only back, but back with a vengeance and with names like these peppering an absolutely stacked bill, you better get your dancing shoes in order, as this one will be a non-stop boogie!

 

Find more information on Time Warp 2023 - here

 

 

---

---

 

If you made it this far, congratulations! You made it! We know it was quite a lot, but that just proves how unreal German music festivals are. There are so many to choose from. Whether you want a day of the hardest, fastest electronic music or if you want to rock out in a field for three days, Germany has it. No matter which festival you choose, it’ll be top. And you know the beer will be excellent. It’s a win-win.  

 

---

 

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

 

Header Image: Wacken Open Air on Facebook