Unter dem Himmel — Festival at the Harz Mountain Theatre

Summer begins darkly on the Hexentanzplatz

The Harz Mountain Theatre in Thale is one of the most unusual venues in Central Germany: an open-air stage built in 1903 high above the Bodetal valley, nestled into a natural rock formation on the Hexentanzplatz, with a view of massive sandstone cliffs. The acoustics are legendary, and the atmosphere — especially in the evening when fog rises from the valley — is simply unique.

The festival Unter dem Himmel, curated by Neuwerk Music Tours & Events, has been using this backdrop since 2024 for two days of dark electro, industrial, and electronic music. The anchor is the Northern Irish-Irish formation VNV Nation, led by singer Ronan Harris, which regularly performs two consecutive evenings here with their program „Automatic Empires”. In addition, IAMX, the solo project of Chris Corner (Sneaker Pimps), has performed since the beginning.

Thale in the Harz — Saxony-Anhalt's Magical Mountain Town

Thale is located in the Harz district in the western part of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, on the northern edge of the mountain range of the same name. The town is the endpoint of the wild and romantic Bodetal valley and a central starting point for Harz hikers. You can reach the Hexentanzplatz from the valley floor via cable car or chairlift — one of the historical sites of the Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night), embedded in a landscape rich in myths that inspired Goethe for his Faust.

Format: Two Days, One Stage, Lots of Excitement

Unter dem Himmel is not a classic large festival with camping and vast grounds, but a compact stage weekend: two concert evenings, each with three to four acts, a single main stage, no stage changes between acts. The audience stays together, and the concert remains the focus. Day tickets for individual evenings and weekend tickets are available.

Around the Festival

If you're staying longer in Thale, you should hike through the Bodetal valley during the day (Treseburg, Roßtrappe), see the Hexentanzplatz in the sunshine, or take a trip to Quedlinburg — the UNESCO World Heritage city is only a 15-minute drive away. Accommodation is available in Thale itself and in the surrounding Harz towns.