Dong Open Air 2026 — Neukirchen-Vluyn

Metal on a Spoil Tip

The Dong Open Air is one of the most unusual festivals in the German metal scene — and at the same time one of the most distinctive. The venue is the Dongberg, a former spoil tip of the Niederberg mine on the western edge of the Ruhr area, now a 100-meter-high artificial hill in the middle of the Lower Rhine plain. Up here — with a 360-degree view reaching into Belgium and the Netherlands — around 4,000 metal fans celebrate their music for three days annually. The next edition will take place from Thursday, July 16th to Saturday, July 18th, 2026.

When and Where?

• Dates: Thursday, July 16th to Saturday, July 18th, 2026
• Location: Dongberg / Halde Norddeutschland, Neukirchen-Vluyn (Wesel district)
• Expected Visitors: approx. 4,000 fans
• Bands: nearly 30

The 2026 Lineup — Excerpt

Headliners

• Amorphis (Finland) — dark, melodic mix of Death, Prog, and Folk Metal
• Skindred (Wales) — Reggae-Metal pioneers
• Overkill (USA) — Thrash Metal legends
• Alestorm (Scotland) — Pirate Metal with folk influences
• Subway To Sally (Germany) — Medieval Rock and Metal

Other Confirmed Acts

• Brothers Of Metal (Sweden) — True Metal with Viking themes
• Grailknights — Power Metal from Lüneburg
• Aereum — Symphonic Metal
• Snakebite — 80s Rock/Metal from Essen
• Bonded — Thrash Metal from Solingen
• Gangrena Gasosa — Brazilian Carnival Metal
• Goldsmith — Heavy Rock
• Octoploid — Metal project by Amorphis bassist Olli-Pekka Laine
• Kreator — German Thrash Metal icon
• Kissin' Dynamite — Hard Rock
• The Halo Effect — Melodic Death Metal supergroup
• Opus Maxima — Mexican Djent
• Hold Your Ground — Hardcore/Punk from Lünen
• Synsnake, Vansind and others

The Special Atmosphere

Familiar Community

Dong advertises with a “relaxed, familiar community”. Unlike major festivals (Wacken, Summer Breeze), the relationship between visitors and helpers is almost personal: approx. 300 volunteers handle logistics, catering, and stage crew. The manageable size (4,000 fans) makes the festival a meeting and reunion platform for the metal community.

The View from Dongberg

At nearly 100 meters, the Dongberg is one of the highest elevations in the region. From the festival meadow, the view extends over the Lower Rhine to neighboring Belgium and the Netherlands. A spectacular sight at sunset.

Camping and Infrastructure

Camping directly at the festival grounds, with showers, sanitary facilities, catering, and drink stands. Parking spaces at the foot of the spoil tip, then a shuttle or hiking trail to the top. A hike up the Dongberg with festival equipment is part of the charm of the Dong Open Air.

History and Identity

The festival was founded in 1999 and, with 26 editions, is now one of Germany's oldest continuous metal festivals. It is organized on a non-profit basis: a registered association that reinvests festival profits and sees the volunteers as the core of the festival. This structure makes Dong an exception in the professionalized festival landscape.

Neukirchen-Vluyn and the Lower Rhine

Neukirchen-Vluyn is a small town with around 28,000 inhabitants in the Wesel district, at the transition from the western Ruhr area to the Lower Rhine. With the Halde Norddeutschland as its landmark, a historic town center, and a rural environment — an ideal festival setting. The nearby city of Moers is 10 minutes away — visitors often combine Dong with an overnight stay in the region.