Wave-Gotik-Treffen
The Wave-Gotik-Treffen (WGT; German for "Wave Gothic Meeting") is an annual world festival for "dark" music and "dark culture" in Leipzig, Germany. 150+ bands and artists from various backgrounds (gothic rock, EBM, industrial, noise, darkwave, neo-folk, neo-classical and medieval music being examples) play at several venues throughout the city over four days on Whitsuntide. The festival also features multiple all-night dance club parties, several fairs with medieval, gothic, and related merchandise, a variety of cultural exhibitions and performances, large themed picnics, and a number of unofficial fringe events.[1]
"WGT" redirects here. For other uses, see WGT (disambiguation).Wave-Gotik-Treffen
Venues[edit]
The venues for the Wave-Gotik-Treffen are spread out all over Leipzig.[14][15][16]
The main venue is the massive 10,000-person capacity Agra fairground halls, 4.2 miles (6.75 km) south of central Leipzig.[17] One of the two largest halls at the Agra is for the headline concerts, the other is for the main shopping market, and a third hall at the Agra houses a bistro area and a dance forum with many well-known DJs. In front of the Agra halls 1 and 2 is the "promenade" of the festival. The dozen-or-more additional venues for the WGT concerts and activities are as varied as the events, from the stately Schauspielhaus to the somber Krypta of the Völkerschlachtdenkmal to the Parkbühne under the trees.
Festival participants typically stay either in designated camping areas on the Agra grounds near the main venue or in the hotels and hostels in and around Leipzig.[1][9] In order to stay at camping areas, participants must pay extra for an Obsorgekarte, which gives them a version of the wrist band that allows campground access.[18]
Many food and drinks vendors set up stands in the "promenade" outside the Agra halls. Attendees with Obsorgekarte tickets/wristbands for camping may bring in their own food and drinks, which is otherwise restricted.[18] Official drinks vendors use sturdy "Wave Gotik Treffen" branded plastic cups instead of disposable ones, for which a deposit (pfand) is required. Attendees may keep cups as souvenirs, or return them for a refund of the deposit. This arrangement greatly reduces the waste and needed cleanup of disposable containers around the venues.
The dates of the Wave-Gotik-Treffen vary from year to year. It is held on the German holiday weekend of Pfingsten, known in English as Pentecost or Whitsun.[18] This is on the Sunday seven weeks after Easter and can range from as early as 10 May to as late as 13 June . Unofficial events start in Leipzig on the Thursday night preceding the date of Pfingsten, with activities such as a social gathering for English-speaking attendees[19] and multiple dance club nights with DJs in the Agra's bistro area as well as at local venues like Darkflower, Moritzbastei, and others. The official festival starts on Friday, and as Monday is a public holiday in Germany the events run until the end of the all-night farewell club parties in the early morning on Tuesday.
Example recent and/or near future dates:[20]
Media related to Wave-Gotik-Treffen at Wikimedia Commons
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