Fantastic creatures conquer Leipzig: The Bestiary” at WGT 2025!

Fantastic creatures conquer Leipzig: The Bestiary” at WGT 2025!

The well-known Wave-Gotik-Treffen (WGT) in Leipzig is just around the corner. From June 6th to 9th, 2025, the city will be transformed into a fascinating center for all fans of Gothic, Steam Punk and Industrial. In addition to musical performances, the 32nd WGT will also offer an exciting program with readings, exhibitions, parties and theater performances. The events take place all over Leipzig and even use churches and cemeteries as a special backdrop.

A highlight of the festival is the special exhibition “Bestiary – Monsters and Creatures between Myth and Reality”. This will take place from June 3rd to 10th, 2025 in the Saxon waiting room of Leipzig main station. The exhibition features over 140 works by international artists and focuses on fantastic and endangered animals as well as real, extinct and imaginary creatures. A lottery on June 10th allows visitors to win works of art. For those interested, the exhibition is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Musical events and nightlife

Musically, the WGT will also be diverse: several events with free admission will take place in the Saxon Waiting Room on June 6th. At 4 p.m., Jairo Calderón will perform Mexican opera, followed by Cempasúchil, which will present pre-Columbian music at 6 p.m. On June 9th, the audience can look forward to Andrea Chapou (2:00 p.m.) and Horror Wolf from Valencia (4:00 p.m.).

In addition to the official program, there is the “Black Market” in the agra festival area, which offers stalls for dark clothing and accessories such as custom-made vampire fangs. The nightlife will also be lively during the meeting: in various clubs, international DJs will provide the atmosphere with music styles from the 80s to industrial.

A variety of accompanying events

Another highlight are the unofficial events, such as the “Victorian Picnic”, which takes place on Friday, June 6th, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Clara Zetkin Park. Participants are asked to dress in Victorian or Steampunk clothing. The medieval “Heidnisches Dorf” market in the Dölitz gatehouse, open daily from Friday to Monday, also invites you to experience traditional handicrafts and live music.

For WGT visitors there are numerous museums and exhibitions with free admission as well as special guided tours. The Grassi Museum of Applied Arts also offers free guided tours and lectures, but only in German. Classical music, opera and theater also have a lot on offer: the Gewandhaus and the Leipzig Opera offer free tickets for festival visitors, although early arrival is recommended.

Details and further information are available on the event websites: MyNewsDesk and Leipzig trip to find.