Wave-Gotik-Treffen (ger. das Treffen means “the meeting”) is an annual world festival for “dark” music and arts in Leipzig, Germany. 150+ bands and artists from various backgrounds (Gothic rock, EBM, Industrial, Noise, Darkwave, Neofolk, Neoclassical, Medieval Music, Experimental, Gothic metal, Deathrock and Punk being examples) play at several venues throughout the city over 4 days on Whitsuntide. The festival also features several fairs with medieval, gothic and cultural merchandise. With 18,000 to 20,000 regular attendants, the WGT is one of the largest events of the Goth-, Cybergoth-, and Rivethead- subcultures worldwide. A first attempt at a Treffen was made in 1987 in Potsdam. However, as the laws of the German Democratic Republic made this kind of event illegal, only a few hundred visitors attended. In 1992, after the re-unification of Germany, the first official Wave-Gotik-Treffen was held in the Eiskeller club in Leipzig. Since then, the number of visitors has increased greatly. The largest installment of the WGT was the one of the year 2000 with over 300 acts and an estimated 25,000 visitors. However, that year’s festival suffered financial collapse on the third day and had to be aborted. After all festival security guards, most bands and much of the technical staff had left, volunteer helpers and several bands who played for free staged a final concert. Contrary to police expectations[citation needed], no rioting of any sort occurred and the final day of the festival was celebrated by the remaining visitors in a way that has been compared[citation needed] to the Burning Man.
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