When COVID appeared in our lives back in 2020 and all festivals had to be cancelled, everybody thought that they will surely return this year. But unfortunately, almost every music festival had to reschedule for next year, especially the big ones. All the better that the German Maifeld Derby festival – which already planned a little break for 2020 before the pandemic started as you might remember from our interview with festival organizer Timo Kumpf – has been rescheduled to the first weekend of September and will definitely take place this year!
Maifeld Derby Anniversary Edition
Of course, this version of the festival will be special in many ways. It’s not just the 10th anniversary of the acclaimed German indie festival, but also a smaller and reduced version of it due the current circumstances. This means, that there will only be two stages instead of four, seats will be placed in front of them, and only 1.500 visitors and 500 campers can attend the festival wearing a mask where the distance can’t be kept and by having either the full vaccination immunity, a negative Covid-test or a proof of being fully recovered from Covid during the last six months (also known as the now infamous 3G’s in Germany).
Disregarding all the obstacles, the organizers managed to curate a handpicked line-up which can definitely compete with former Maifeld Derby line-ups! The headliners are amongst others the singer-songwriter Sophie Hunger from Switzerland, the German indie-pioneers The Notwist, and the legendary Danish indie-darlings and Efterklang. Some smaller, but nevertheless just as exciting, acts are the Austrian postpunk band Culk, the British indie-band The Howl & The Hum, and the Luxembourger newcomers C’est Karma. It’s a quality list of artists just like we expected it from the team and we surely will celebrate every minute of this event when we attend it. And we hope you’ll join us, right?
And for those of you who want to get a critical insights into the joys and downsides of organizing an indie festival in the limbo of financial feasibility, check out the video linked below. Telling the story of what was supposed to be the last Maifeld Derby before the break they decided to take – even before the pandemic – the documentary examines the struggles of small festivals, the cost of which is often paid by self-exploitation of the organizers. It follows Timo Kumpf’s fight for the 10th anniversary edition of the Maifeld Derby. Pouring heart and soul into making the festival happen, the documentary ultimately asks the question: what are the limits of passion?
Join us in Mannheim not only to experience the exciting live acts but also to support the German indie festival culture and the efforts of the passionate team taking initiative.
The 10th edition of the Maifeld Derby festival happens from the 3.- 5. September 2021 at the Maimarkt area in Mannheim, so make sure sure to grab your tickets right here.