Highfield Festival to Hold Final Edition Amid Rising Costs

The Highfield Festival, Saxony’s largest rock and pop event near Leipzig, will stage its final edition from 13 to 16 August 2024 at the Störmthaler See in Großpösna. Organisers Semmel Concerts and FKP Scorpio said the festival is no longer financially viable: operating costs for staff, materials, fees and energy have risen by roughly 45‑50 % since the pre‑COVID era, while visitor numbers have fallen. Consequently, the festival will enter a “creative pause” until at least 2027, with the future format of the site left undecided. The event, which has been held at the Störmthaler See since 2010 (previously at the Hohenfelden reservoir), will feature national and international acts such as Kraftklub, the Beatsteaks, Marteria and Feine Sahne Fischfilet. Mayor Daniel Strobel of Großpösna expressed regret over the closure but accepted the economic reality. A 2022 incident, when a ride fire injured 16 people, remains under investigation.