Celebratory events - Rock am Ring Explores the World of Political Parties
Approximately 80,000 individuals joined the festivity known as Rock am Ring this year, surpassing the number from the previous year's event. Last year, around 70,000 visitors attended. At this festival in the Nürburgring area of the Eifel, over 70 acts captivated crowds with their performances during the three-day event. In addition to the live performances, attendees frequented the camping sites.
Police and Red Cross witnessed a peaceful outcome
The Red Cross reported a total of 360 interventions and 2,700 cases treated, both numbers markedly lower than in prior years. Armin Link from the German Red Cross stated, "The situation was very calm this year. We had one helicopter in operation, although there were no life-threatening situations."
When questioned about the level of incidents, a police spokesperson stated on Sunday that the event was "a peaceful festival with a good atmosphere." Police also remarked that there were no major traffic concerns. "However, we are monitoring the traffic as people leave the event and travel home. I advise drivers to be cautious and take frequent breaks," the spokesperson suggested.
Weather highlights included sunshine and quirky headgear
Exceptionally pleasant weather greeted attendees, with sunshine and moderate temperatures throughout the weekend. Passing clouds helped protect festival-goers from overheating as they sang, danced, and reveled in the enjoyable climate. However, the chilly environment intensified at night, particularly on Saturday when clouds intensified.
Visitors showcased unique hats as they basked in the sunshine. The variety of hats ranged from classic fisherman's caps to comical propeller hats to comfortable animal headpieces.
Though the lineup comprised more than 70 bands, The Aces, Green Day, and Måneskin headlined. Concurrently, the Rock im Park twin festival occurred in Nuremberg, featuring the same performer list.
A Saarland band gained a spot on the stage
The Saarland heavy punk band Indecent Behavior, based in Merzig, earned a spot to perform at Rock am Ring. They won a contest granting them this opportunity, and performed one of the first sets during the festival.
The Aces encouraged voting
The European election coincided with the final day of the festival. Patrick and Alex from Bergkamen already participated in the election by mail. "It's a privilege to vote," explained Patrick.
The organizer had showcased promotional materials discussing the importance of voting prior to the festivities. Multiple bands demonstrated their support for the election issue on their social media platforms.
Politics took center stage
Despite the focus on entertainment, politics made an appearance at the festival. Die Ärzte's first performance featured the political song "Kein Kölsch für Nazis," to which Jojo Berger expressed great significance. "I'm so proud of you all for making informed decisions," he exclaimed, receiving warm applause.
The headliners on the first day, the Berlin punk band Die Ärzte, addressed politics as well. As they performed "Deine Schuld," Bela B. appealed to the audience. "I'm so proud of you, you all made your decisions, right?" He was met with deafening cheers and applause. The band also played their latest single "Democracy" from their most recent album. One of its verses highlights the importance of voting: "If you're wondering how to improve the world: How about voting? Your cross against swastikas - that's where it starts."
Aviation entertainment and singers in the crowd
Although politics was not the only focus, it did unite fans. During the band Querbeat's performance, two female attendees provided an aerial show, riding inflated creatures over the crowd to raves of support. Some listeners held skulls high while attending certain bands' performances.
The Hollywood-esque atmosphere intensified during Dogstar's performance when actor Keanu Reeves contributed by playing bass on stage. The singer of the punk rock band Donots occasionally ventured into the crowd, and attendees even lifted him into the air during their performances. The lead singer of the German indie pop band Leoniden interacted with the audience, at one point playing a white piano amid the fans on Sunday.
