Goitzsche Festival

Festival at the Open-Cast Mine Lake — A Saxony-Anhalt Story

Few festival locations tell as much about recent German history as the Goitzschesee. Until the early 1990s, lignite was mined here, leaving a huge hole in the landscape south of Bitterfeld-Wolfen. After mining ceased, the open-cast mine was flooded — today, the Goitzschesee covers a good 13 square kilometers, nestled in a recreational and water sports area. Right in the middle: the Pouch peninsula, the former mining legacy of the Mulde region. It is precisely here that the Goitzsche Festival has been held since 2017 — making it one of Germany's most interesting new festival locations.

The organizer is the band Goitzsche Front itself, which co-founded the festival as a "festival of their choice." The result: an event with a DIY mentality, a clear Rock/Metal/Folk orientation, and a loyal regular audience. Unlike many large German festivals, Goitzsche deliberately takes place by the lake, not on an airfield or racetrack — and that makes the difference. The family character, the lake in the background, the sunsets over the water: these are its trademarks.

Ten Years — A Small Festival History

The Goitzsche Festival has grown over ten editions. Today, several thousand visitors come to the Pouch peninsula, with the camping area located nearby. The booking focuses on the German-language Rock and Metal spectrum: Stahlzeit (Rammstein tribute), Kneipenterroristen (Punk-Pop), Asenblut (Pagan Metal), Ampex (Metal from Saxony-Anhalt), and of course Goitzsche Front itself are part of the 2026 lineup. Also featured are Dirk Maron, Claudia Kurver, Rocksucht, and other acts. The 10th anniversary will be celebrated in a special way.

Anhalt-Bitterfeld as a Festival Location

Goitzsche is located in the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the municipality of Muldestausee with the district of Pouch. In GDR times, Bitterfeld-Wolfen was one of the most important chemical industry sites in Central Germany — and has undergone a remarkable transformation after reunification. The Goitzsche Festival is one of the symbols of this transformation: where mining spoil once lay, a festival stage now stands.