In 2011 , the hosts decided to not let the festival grow any further , despite the huge demand for tickets . There were several reasons for this decision : First , logistical problems . Wacken is a small village and the entire festival infrastructure must be built up from scratch beginning two weeks before each festival — stages , fresh water , camping grounds , toilets , showers , power , food and beverage supplies , etc . Further growth would create demands that could not be satisfied . Second , safety . Local authorities got very sensitive regarding security after the Love Parade disaster , in 2010 , when 21 people died from suffocation and 500 more were injured . Therefore , every festival has to meet the highest safety standards , which are strictly controlled by regulatory authorities nowadays , and which would be hard to meet with a further increase in attendance . Third , so as to not jeopardize the acceptance of the festival by the village , due to the strain caused by higher numbers of visitors . And last , to keep the festival grounds concentrated , which otherwise would have to be expanded
Love Parade disaster
Love Parade disaster
Wacken Open Air