50/50 Fest Goch

50/50 Fest — the participatory festival on the Lower Rhine

The 50/50 Fest is one of the few Burning Man-inspired festivals in Germany. From June 4th to 7th, 2026, around 350 participants will gather at the Viller Mühle in Goch — a four-day festival that does not see itself as a consumer event, but as a shared experience.

Two Basic Rules

The concept follows two clear principles:

• Self-sufficiency — "Nothing is sold here. You are responsible for bringing everything you need for the weekend." No bar system, no food trucks, no showmen — food, drinks, tent, sleeping bag: participants bring everything themselves.
• "Leave no Trace" — all waste, all packaging, everything left over after the weekend goes back home. The site is left exactly as it was before the festival.

Participatory Concept: Program Created by Everyone

The program is not curated by an organizer — but by the participants themselves. Anyone who wants to offer workshops, performances, sound sessions, participatory activities, or talks simply brings them along. "A 50/50 Fest is made by all of us" — volunteers are actively sought.

Viller Mühle — historic site on the Lower Rhine

The Viller Mühle near Goch is a historic water mill on the west bank of the Niers river, surrounded by meadows and old trees. Address: Viller 27, 47574 Goch. The location is ideal for a festival of limited size — manageable enough that everyone knows everyone, spacious enough that everyone finds their tent spot.

Solidarity Tickets €95–€195

The tickets follow a sliding scale: those who can pay more, pay more (up to €195), those who have less can participate from €95. A deliberately social pricing — the festival is supported together, not through consumer sales, but through tickets and volunteer work. Parking tickets are available separately.

Goch and the Lower Rhine

Goch is a small town on the Lower Rhine in the Kleve district (North Rhine-Westphalia), near the Dutch border. With around 35,000 inhabitants, it is a quiet, rural region — not a classic festival land. But that's exactly what makes the Viller Mühle the ideal location for a festival that consciously seeks to be off the beaten track of urban festival routines.

Burning Man as Inspiration

The Burning Man Festival in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada (USA) is considered the mother festival of the "radical self-reliance" movement. The ten principles of Burning Man (radical self-reliance, radical inclusion, gift economy, Leave no Trace, etc.) shape the 50/50 Fest in Goch. It is one of the few continental European festivals that explicitly refer to this tradition.