The Future of Music Festivals

A study on the sustainability of major festivals around the world took into account the average number of visitors, the travelling implications of visitors and artists and the running costs of music festivals (see details below at methodology).

The following conclusion was interesting: At large festivals with hundreds (or thousands) of touring acts, it is the artist’ travel, not the audience’s, that is the biggest contributor to CO2 emissions. However, audience travel still accounts for the majority of emissions, and even at festivals where this is outweighed by artist travel, the CO2 emissions are incredibly high.

Public transport plays an important role for both artists and festival-goers and harbors the possibility to decrease the carbon footprint. It is not always possible to take the train all the way - but arriving in Leipzig by train is a relaxed way to get to know the city starting at Europe's largest main station. Furthermore, Leipzig guests can use the extensive LVB public transport network comprising 13 tram lines and 36 bus in the city with the Leipzig Card for up to three days.

In Leipzig, most of the music venues are easily accessible on foot or bike, especially the festivals that take place right in the city centre. When the Highfield Festival is held at Lake Störmthal in the south of Leipzig, special buses run regularly from the main railway station to the festival site.

Every year in June, musicians and Bach fans from all over the world make Leipzig the meeting place for the global Bach family.

To reduce the ecological footprint of the Bachfest Leipzig, the Bach Archive is supporting the planting of the Johann Sebastian Bach Forest. Over the next few years, a forest will be created on around 29 hectares on the western shore of Lake Störmthal – which will promote climate protection, conserve soil and water, and enrich the local area. Around 129,000 trees will be planted, binding 250 tonnes of CO2 annually.

In June 2024 guests could join a bike tour to Bach, leading chronologically from Bach’s birthplace Eisenach all the way to Leipzig, where he spent the second half of his life as director of music at St. Thomas Church.

These are just two of many measures the Bach Archive is taking to secure a sustainable future for music festivals. The theme of Bachfest Leipzig 2025 is “Transformation” – not only in relation to the musical aspects of J. S. Bach, but also to how we all need to change for the future. The measures to achieve climate neutrality in many areas of the festival's organisation will be further intensified, including the new "Climate Ticket" price category that will be available from November 2024. The travel packages to Bachfest 2025 can be booked starting in October 2024 already.  

Cultural institutions can now access a new web-based climate calculator created by Leipzig and Dresden, to assess their carbon footprint. This tool will help entities like Oper Leipzig and the Gewandhausorchester track and understand key emission sources such as purchases, staff travel, audience transportation, and more. By gathering this data, opera productions can aim for carbon neutrality and strategise sustainability measures. One potential change for visitors may be answering questions about their transportation methods to the opera.

After a climate neutral premiere of Mary, Queen of Scots in December 2023, the Oper Leipzig is now the first German theatre with the Olympic certificate of sustainability. In June 2024, Oper Leipzig received certification in accordance with DIN ISO 20121, an international standard for sustainable event management. This demanding standard requires sustainability goals and guidelines for sustainable action in environmental, social and economic terms, which must be continuously pursued and expanded.

The annual Highfield Festival at Lake Störmthal in the south of Leipzig is aware of the environmental impact of event production and its social responsibility to improve sustainable practices.

The Highfield Trasholution is a waste challenge at the festival that promotes clean waste separation for better recycling. Guests are encouraged to take part by handing in their full bin bags, with each bag triggering a €1 donation to local social projects. The aim is to continuously support new projects through this initiative.

With the format “Klassik Airleben” the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester thanks its audience every year at the end of the Gewandhaus season.

On two evenings in a row, the world-famous symphony orchestra performs two major concerts in the open air and invites all Leipzig residents and visitors to Leipzig to attend.

Free admission is primarily thanks to the strong partner and makes an important contribution to opening up classical music events to all sections of society.

The WGT Wave-Gotik-Treffen is the world’s largest goth festival that takes place on Whitsuntide weekend each year. The indoor and outdoor venues are spread all over the city, so it is a great idea that the festival pass is valid for all events and includes public transport in the city of Leipzig.

Sustainability is also about inclusion for guests with reduced mobility, visual impairment, hearing impairment or learning difficulties. Find transparent information on how to access and discover Leipzig barrier-free.

Find out more about Leipzig’s classical musical heritage and the diversity of music festivals in Leipzig. More ideas how to experience your stay in Leipzig more sustainable here.