Vanlife Festival Ferropolis

The most spectacular backdrop for Vanlife in Europe

There are festivals, and then there's Ferropolis. On a peninsula in Lake Gremminer near Gräfenhainichen (Wittenberg district, Saxony-Anhalt), five gigantic open-cast mining excavators from former Lusatian lignite mining rise up – industrial monuments and stage backdrops at the same time. Where coal was once mined, thousands of Vanlife enthusiasts, camping lovers, overlanders, and self-builders now camp. Since its premiere, the Vanlife Festival Ferropolis has been the largest meeting point for the scene in Germany.

More than a gathering – a lifestyle

For four days (Thursday-Sunday), campsite, trade fair, workshop program, and festival merge. The large exhibition area showcases the latest vans, motorhomes, camping equipment, and outdoor gadgets from manufacturers and self-builders. Workshops and lectures impart know-how: from solar setups and bushcraft to travelogues from Patagonia and Mongolia. Yoga on the lake shore, stand-up paddling, beach sports, and children's programs round off the offerings.

Music under the open-cast mining excavators

In the evenings, the music takes over: live bands and DJ sets play on the smaller Vanlife stage; the spectacular "Big Five" excavators serve as a natural backdrop. The format is more of a campfire festival than a large event: cozy, conversational, with the aim of bringing like-minded people together. Ferropolis is known as a festival location for Splash!, Melt!, and Full Force Festival – but for Vanlife, the atmosphere is more relaxed and familial.

Industrial Culture Saxony-Anhalt

Ferropolis is not by chance the chosen venue: the Wittenberg district is part of the Central German Industrial Culture, shaped by lignite mining in the GDR and its structural change. The five preserved open-cast mining excavators – "Mosquito", "Big Wheel", "Medusa", "Gemini", and "Mad Max" – have stood as industrial monuments in a reclaimed lake since 1995, one of Europe's most unusual industrial landscapes. The Vanlife Festival is the perfect stage for this story of transformation.