Every summer, a hidden corner of Germany transforms into a sanctuary where queerness isn’t just accepted—it’s celebrated in its purest form. Whole Festival is more than just a music event; it’s a collective dream made tangible, a utopian playground where radical inclusivity, mutual care, and unfiltered joy shape every experience.

For its 2024 edition, Whole once again proved why it has become a beacon for the global queer underground. Nestled between lakes and lush greenery, this unique festival—run by and for the LGBTQIA+ community—creates a space that feels entirely removed from the outside world.

A space where care and respect set the tone

From the moment you step onto the festival grounds, something feels different. There’s no rigid hierarchy, no VIP sections, no division between artists and attendees. Instead, Whole operates on a foundation of community and mutual respect—a place where every individual is valued not for who they know or how they look, but for the energy they bring.

People greet each other warmly, offering hugs, compliments, and shared moments of joy. Consent and boundaries are deeply embedded in the festival’s culture, with reminders across the site encouraging respect for personal space and emotional well-being. You see it in the way dancers instinctively check in on one another, how strangers become caretakers for a fleeting moment, and how an unspoken code of kindness makes even the wildest nights feel safe.

A soundtrack to liberation

Whole is a paradise for electronic music lovers, with a lineup that champions underground artists, queer collectives, and boundary-pushing selectors. This year’s edition featured pulsating techno, deep house, experimental soundscapes, and euphoric rave anthems, each stage offering its own sonic identity.

DJs and performers, many of them hailing from marginalized communities, turn their sets into statements of defiance and celebration. Music at Whole isn’t just about dancing; it’s about storytelling, reclaiming spaces, and feeling truly seen. The beats pulse in sync with the collective heartbeat of the festival, creating an energy so pure that every drop, build, and bassline becomes a shared moment of transcendence.

Freedom in expression, unapologetically so

Whole’s crowd is one of the most expressive, diverse, and open-minded you’ll ever encounter. From elaborate costumes dripping in glitter to bare bodies embracing the summer heat, the festival is a runway for self-expression in its rawest form. Gender norms dissolve, identities expand, and creativity flows freely.

Nudity? Common. Body paint? Everywhere. Aesthetic choices range from ethereal and dreamlike to punk, leather-clad rebellion. The key isn’t what you wear, but how you own your authenticity. Whole doesn’t dictate style—it encourages you to step into the fullest, most liberated version of yourself.

A festival that feels like family

What sets Whole apart isn’t just its music or its setting—it’s the people. This is a festival where strangers become friends within minutes, where shared smiles lead to long conversations, and where the sense of belonging is so strong it lingers long after the music fades.

At sunrise, festival-goers gather by the lake, some dancing, some cuddling, some simply watching the light shift across the water in contented silence. There is no rush, no pressure—just the simple joy of existing together in this moment, in this space.

Whole Festival isn’t just a party. It’s a living, breathing manifesto of queer joy, a testament to what the world could feel like if respect, love, and freedom were the foundation of every interaction. Until next year, Whole remains not just a memory, but a feeling—one that stays with you, urging you to carry its spirit into everyday life.

LINKS : Website / Instagram

Image : Whole Festival Instagram