Overview

• Attendance remains robust as the 10-day festival enters its final days
• City of Herne’s mobility concept including timed road closures, guarded bike parking and park-and-ride shuttles has not eased severe congestion or 40-minute parking searches
• Local residents are split between complaints of noise, litter and blocked driveways and praise for the festival’s lively atmosphere
• New attractions such as the 500-meter Alpen Coaster and the live-action Panic Room elicit both thrill and tense reactions from first-time and returning visitors
• High food and drink prices often push spending beyond a €20 budget challenge, leaving many attendees uneasy about their overall costs