Junge Union pushes for Highfield festival's return to Thuringia

The Junge Union of Thuringia, led by Lennart Geibert, is urging the Highfield music festival to move back to its original home in Thuringia. The festival was held at the Hohenfelden reservoir near Erfurt from the late 1990s until 2010, when it relocated to Saxony after incidents involving waste and site damage.

Organisers Semmel Concerts and FKP Scorpio have announced that the 2024 edition at the Störmthaler See near Leipzig will be the last for now, planning a "creative pause" until 2027 to develop a new concept. The Junge Union argues that the festival’s absence leaves a major cultural void for young people and hurts tourism and the local economy. It estimates the event could attract around 30,000 visitors annually, benefiting hotels, restaurants, campsites and retailers. Geibert calls for talks between the festival organisers and the state government to discuss a financially sustainable venue in Thuringia, stating, "Das Highfield war für junge Menschen in Thüringen DAS Kulturevent" and "Die nun entstandene Chance einer Rückkehr sollte genutzt werden, um über die Rahmenbedingungen für den Festival‑Standort Thüringen zu diskutieren."