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Futuristic Sounds, Acoustic Melodies, Dance, Theater, Wellness, and Workshops: The "Wild Carrot" Festival near Drebkau (Spree-Neiße) kicks off this coming weekend. Organizers expect 5,000 visitors. "This year, the festival is sold out," founder Alexander Dettke told the German Press Agency.
"Our festival is known for its atmosphere. If you want to hear the craziest acts, you won't find them here," Dettke said. The budget for artists is relatively small. "We're not following the trend of mega-DJs with interchangeable names. We're all about the experience," the organizer emphasized.
Besides music, there's also wellness, workshops, and theater.
The grounds will feature many seating areas, smaller shows, theater performances, and a wellness area. "And if you come across a spot where the music sounds good, you'll likely stay and dance," Dettke said. "It's not a concert festival, it's an experience festival." Artists include Magnutze, Daniel Krau, Nuria, Katzenohr, and Electric Nipples. Workshops will cover topics like sustainability, sexuality, and creative writing.
"Two years of not learning to party properly"
Dettke reports that many other festival organizers are feeling the pinch. Costs have risen and the number of potential visitors has decreased. "Two years of not learning to party properly," Dettke said, referring to young adults who couldn't party due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, the well-known Melt Festival on the Ferropolis site near Dessau-Roßlau (Saxony-Anhalt) held its last event this year, citing increased costs.
Funds and Cultural Project Cooperative
This year, the Wild Carrot is one of 141 festivals from across Germany supported by the federal government's festival funding scheme, receiving up to 50,000 euros. Additionally, funds are earmarked for the festival site under the Coal Region Structural Strengthening Act, with 7.5 million euros planned for investments to improve infrastructure for use by other event organizers.
To support clubs and festivals, Dettke and other activists have also founded the cooperative "mit Freude eG" in Berlin this year. The goal is to preserve and further develop unique cultural projects, including the Wild Carrot, Dettke said.
Wild Carrot Festival
The artist lineup for the Wild Carrot Festival includes acts like Magnutze, Daniel Krau, Nuria, Katzenohr, and Electric Nipples. Dettke emphasized that they prioritize experience over following trends, focusing on smaller budgets for artists instead of mega-DJs with interchangeable names.
