The ultimate Wave-Gotik-Treffen beginners guide

(disclaimer: I am not part of, or associated with, the official WGT event organizer, this guide is purely written from my personal experience and the additions of the goth community.)

Entering the dark world of the WGT (Wave-Gotik-Treffen) for the first time can be an exciting, yet overwhelming experience. I very much remember my first time at this event and let me tell you, it was unlike any other festival experience I have ever had!

Join us as we delve into a curated list of 5 essential topics, filled with lots of insider tips!

All designed to ensure a pleasant festival experience, while avoiding the most common beginner mistakes. (Most of which I definitely made at some point 😅) From packing hacks to navigating the lineup, I’ve got you covered every step of the way!

1) Make a plan beforehand

The first question you should ask yourself is how many days you are planning to stay in Leipzig. Most of the visitors (us included) arrive on Thursday and leave on Wednesday. (To go to the Moritzbastei pre- and after parties on Thursday and Monday night and have a day to recover from all the fun nights on Tuesday before conquering long travel distances on Wednesday.)

You should also know if you’re camping or staying in a hotel (or both, more about that later) and get the right tickets here.

Besides the festival tickets, you will have the option to purchase the “Obsorge” ticket, which allows you to camp on the Agra (main festival grounds) campground, cross it as a shortcut from Agra to the Pagan Village (more about that later), or simply bring your own food and drinks to the Agra. (Which is what most people use it for.) Since we are staying at a hotel for the WGT, only one of us usually gets an Obsorge ticket to bring drinks and snacks to hang out! I also always keep a foldable cup with me to share drinks or stay hydrated with tap water! (Trying to not get COVID again from sharing a bottle or drinking from the same cup 😬.) At this point, I have to mention that there is lots of great food and drinks at the Agra and Pagan Village, with many vegetarian and vegan options as well! So while this can be an option to save some money it’s definitely not necessary at all!

The last ticket option is the parking pass, which is 15€ for parking next to the Agra during the WGT festival, especially when you’re arriving by car and staying on the campground, I highly suggest purchasing this ticket as well. There are barely any parking options nearby and they are usually always fully occupied by the time we arrive. If you travel with a camper you will need a parking ticket as well, if you have a camping trailer and car you will need to purchase two tickets, one for the car and one for the trailer!

I definitely remember going to Leipzig for my first WGT. And while I made plans to meet up with all of my online friends, I most definitely forgot to make a plan about the whole festival itself.

While planning you should keep in mind that usually things never go exactly as planned and you will also spend more time in one place than you think you will. (Talking to old friends, making new friends, taking pictures, spontaneous decisions,…)

So I recommend picking out your absolute must-see concerts (and other events such as exhibitions, film screenings, literary readings and workshops) and create a schedule.

I usually use the WGT-Guide app, which you can download for Android here.

It has a list of all the concerts, other events, locations, maps and tram guides on how to get to the places. On top of that, it allows you to rank all events, pick out the most important ones and helps create a schedule for you. One of my favourite features is being able to connect it to my Facebook profile and seeing where my friends are going! Makes it so much easier to meet up! 

Make sure to also check the locations of concerts you’re planning to see and try to avoid switching places too often, especially between the city and Agra. (I definitely underestimated the distance from the Agra to the city centre!) On top of that, by staying in one place you can use some of the time to hang out with friends and may discover a new band you like as well!

For popular bands, also make sure to be at the location early (and have a plan B). Some locations can have an entry stop at some point if there are too many people trying to get in, and you might not be able to get in at all!

2) Must-see events and locations

Let’s start with day one, Thursday. Since most people already arrive on Thursday and many are staying at a hotel in the city, there is a pre party at Moritzbastei, that we usually attend as well! The entry is included in the WGT ticket price. In case you are camping you can visit the pre party at the Agra. Since there are no night trams on the first night between Agra and the city centre, I highly suggest choosing the party close to where you are staying to avoid having to take a cab. You will have enough time to visit both locations to party again during the festival!

On Friday, the number one must-see event is taking place. The Victorian Picnic. It has overall become one of the most popular events that takes place in the Clara-Zetkin-Park during the WGT.

While the picnic is taking place in a public park and doesn’t have a set dresscode, keep in mind that it can be attended by anyone, regardless of if they have a WGT ticket or not, also involving children. (You see where I am going with this.) So while you don’t have to wear fancy Victorian style clothing to join in on this experience, in the name of the community, I am going to politely ask you not to wear any fetish outfits that are too kinky or revealing. Not only is it kind of ruining the vibe, if you get what I mean, but also it is a public park after all, and I feel like we as a community have to be respectful of the citizens and especially families that want to bring their kids closer to our culture in a safe way. – Which in general the picnic is perfect for!

But, in case you are involved in the fetish community or want to go to a kinky party out of curiosity, I have the perfect event just waiting for you to attend!

On Saturday night, you can visit the Obsession Bizarr – at this point a little digression about adult party etiquette:

• You need to be 18+ to enter. 
• Always follow the dresscode and rules as listed on their page. 
• Also follow some basic rules that apply to all of these parties, such as 
• Asking for consent
• Communicating and respecting boundaries (most people, including us, are just there to party, nothing else!)
• Respect other people’s privacy don’t take pictures with other people in the background
• If a submissive is collared, ask if you can speak with them
• Just use some common sense and don’t be a creep 
• There are some shows (as listed on their page) as well and a separate area for anything that is more than just partying. 

Besides those big events, make sure to have some time to check out the Agra shopping hall and the mediaeval markets at the Pagan Village (which also has a stage with some great bands if you’re into that kind of music!) and the Wonnemond on top of the Moritzbastei.

3) Camping or hotel?

While camping (especially at festivals) can be a fun and special experience, WGT is the one festival where we are always staying at a hotel. So, let’s talk about the pros, cons and options and let me tell you why!

Let’s start with camping. If you are only going to stay for the official festival duration (Friday to Monday), if you want to stay directly at the main festival grounds and also want to save a lot of money, camping is the best option for you!

However, if you need some extra comfort, especially to get ready with fancy makeup and dresses, or if you are planning to stay for longer than until Monday, I highly suggest booking a hotel. And make sure to book early. By early, I mean preferably a year in advance. Hotels are not cheap during the duration of the festival and many book the same hotel for the next year in advance, as soon as they are checking out! Same goes for travelling, especially if you are travelling internationally. Make sure to book everything from transport to hotel as early as possible to save money!

You can of course also share an Airbnb with friends or check the official WGT website or Facebook groups for accommodation. Whatever you do, just make sure to do it as early as possible and make sure to either be close to the city centre or the Agra festival ground.

One of the biggest mistakes I made at my first WGT was booking a much cheaper option outside of the city centre and then having to wait for hours to get on a night tram, after changing clothes and wanting to go back to the city to party at night. If I wanted to save money, I’d rather go camping than book a hotel that’s not in the city centre.

Conclusion, we are parking our car at the Agra, but are staying at a hotel since we want the additional comfort to get ready, to have our “base” in the city centre (since many locations are in the city and we can always take the tram to Agra or any other location), to make it easier to change clothes or grab something from our room, and, most importantly, we are going to stay for longer then until Monday, so we don’t have to pick up our stuff from the campground and bring it to a hotel for the last night we are staying.

4) Packing

At my first WGT, I remember feeling so excited and overwhelmed by preparing my best outfits and planning out my looks (at that time I only went for 3 days), so of course I had to pick my three coolest looks.

However.

Now, after going to the WGT for a few years, I can confidently say that I underestimated wearing big, impractical dresses and uncomfortable shoes for days, with extremely long walking distances and being on my feet day and night, dancing and having fun. So, make sure your outfits are comfortable, bring sunscreen (!), a coat and an umbrella to be prepared for weather changes. (I have been fried by the sun and watered by rain more than once.)

With that being said, make sure to keep the purse/bag you’re bringing to the locations small (you don’t want issues with security) and plan your outfits beforehand, so you don’t overpack and save time when getting ready. I always bring one fancy dress for the Victorian Picnic and a specific look for the Obsession Bizarr (following their dresscode, as mentioned before).

And remember while you want to look great, being comfy and having fun should always be your top priority! It’s still a festival after all!

5) More insider tips

Now that we are almost at the end of this guide, I want to give you some more random tips and tricks:

• The WGT wristband is your ticket to public transport in Leipzig during the entire festival (Friday to Monday), make sure to exchange your ticket for a wristband the day you arrive (for example at the Agra or the main station).
• Official guide/program books are available at the wristband exchange places as well
• There are after parties every night at the Agra with different floors and music styles but also many other parties in the city. (Check the WGT schedule!)
• The best locations to grab some great food are the Pagan Village and Agra
• There is a Kindergarten at the Agra where your kids will be looked after, open from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (for more info read here).
• You can visit some events and locations of the WGT without a ticket or by just getting an individual day ticket for that particular location (such as the Victorian Picnic, Pagan Village, Wonnemond, Obsession Bizzar, Gothic Pogo Festival, Steampunk Picnic, Hearse meetup and some others).

Now that we made it through this elaborate guide for the WGT – are there any more tips or questions you might have? Anything I need to add? You can comment down below or check the official WGT F.A.Q. to see if your question is answered there!

And most importantly, enjoy yourself at the upcoming WGT festival, have fun partying at concerts and events, connecting with the community, meeting old and new friends and stay safe! 🦇

Cover photo: @quayraza and @buried.in.oblivion