Holzstock Indie Festival 2025 reopens its gates between August 22 and 24 for its eleventh edition, set in the spectacular courtyard of the fortified church in Hosman, Sibiu County. Three days of live music, creative workshops, experiences, and breathtaking landscapes will transform this historic site into a vibrant space full of color and energy.
In addition to the artists already announced, the lineup expands with three new artistic projects and a series of workshops bringing together traditional crafts, nature explorations, creative activities, and moments dedicated to movement and dance.
DJ Andy Loop / Global Electronics
A leading figure of the Global Beat scene in Barcelona, Andy Loop blends urban and electronic sounds – House, Tech, Deep, Slow – with world and folk influences. Active on stages worldwide since the 1990s, he has collaborated with international artists and created concepts like ETHNO ROOM, where DJ sets intertwine with live instruments.
PJ.lo & The Accidentals
The project PJ.lo & The Accidentals combines musical and performative elements in an always-unpredictable format. On stage together are Jean-Lorin Sterian (vocals), Maria Leca (vocals), and Cătălin Văstăgu (synth drums, interventions), creating spontaneous moments that transform into songs and movements.
This Rromerican Life
The duo Antoni & Sam, husband and wife, have been performing together for over ten years. Blending Roma and American influences, their music is rooted in personal experiences and inspired by Romania’s landscapes and stories. Their debut album, This Rromerican Life, released in June 2025, reflects this meeting of worlds and styles.
Workshops and Experiences
Holzstock Indie Festival offers a diverse program of workshops and activities open to all participants. From traditional crafts and nature explorations to dance, reading, and creative activities, each festival day brings opportunities to learn, experiment, and discover.
The German Cultural Center Sibiu team brings the Mobile Library, a lively, interactive space with a selection of books for all ages, where children are invited to join creative activities and story-inspired games. Here also takes place the Interactive Reading Workshop for children in German, where after each story, kids can do small hands-on activities—cutouts, coloring, or exercises that strengthen story comprehension.
Craftsmen Uwe Constantin Boghian and Thomas Boghian lead the Transylvanian Saxon Leather Art Workshop, where participants learn leatherworking basics and create their own bracelets decorated with traditional motifs, in a relaxed setting combining craft with history.
Dorina Buian hosts the “Succulents in a Jar” Workshop, where participants learn how to arrange and care for succulents and receive a small kit to take home. Suitable even for complete beginners.
The “Spin & Sculpt” Pottery Workshop, coordinated by Ceramica de Nocrich and the Nocrich Scout Center, invites participants to decorate handmade ceramic objects. At the same time, visitors can admire and purchase locally crafted pieces. Inspired by volunteering experiences at Nocrich Scout Center, the Paper Factory project shows participants how paper scraps gain new life as handmade sheets, turning recycling into creativity. Working with pulp and textures becomes an exploration—using natural pigments, nature fragments, and landscapes.
The Dramba (jaw’s harp) workshop lets participants discover this ancient instrument, try their first sounds, and experience its unique resonance.
Yodeling Workshop for Children: a playful introduction to the alpine singing tradition, where kids learn a well-known song with a simple yodel refrain and sing it together at the end.
For those seeking more dynamic activities, Raul Oltean leads Zumba sessions, combining movement and rhythm in an informal setting.
Nature enthusiasts can join Birdwatching, a guided tour with Joe England from Hârtibaciu Nature Tours. Over three hours, participants learn to identify bird species and understand the local fauna. Joe England also leads a Tracking Workshop, teaching how to recognize animal tracks and signs in nature.
Throughout the festival, a Treasure Hunt offers an adventure through the fortified church, uncovering stories and legends linked to the association’s history. Each participant receives a sheet with challenges and clues from the info point, guiding them through playful and meaningful tasks that highlight cultural heritage and connect visitors with the local community.
Finally, those wishing to discover the landscapes of the Hârtibaciu Valley can enjoy a ride on the Mocănița, the historic narrow-gauge train restored by the Friends of the Mocănița Association. Departing from Hosman station, it offers a journey through nature and history.
Film Screenings
The program also includes two special screenings:
- Tup, an animated film about courage, hope, and the strength to move forward even when everything seems impossible. Based on the children’s book of the same name by Alex Donovici, illustrated by Stela Damaschin-Popa, it brings a moving and imaginative story to the screen.
- A selection of works from the Animation Worksheep program (16+), an animation education project founded in 2008, now in its 17th edition. It showcases diverse techniques and the link between music, film, and visual experimentation. Over time, Animation Worksheep has trained more than 250 young people, many now working as professional animators in studios across Romania and abroad.
Full Program
Friday, August 22
- 15:00–18:00: Painting on a 3D Model of Holzmengen Church
- 16:00: Guided Tour of the Fortified Church of Hosman
Saturday, August 23
- 10:00–18:00: Treasure Hunt: Quest Through the Citadel
- 10:00: Ride with the Mocănița!
- 11:00–11:30: Yodeling Workshop for Kids
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Paper Factory
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Pottery Workshop (Nocrich Scout Center)
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Painting on a 3D Model of Holzmengen Church
- 11:00–16:00: Succulents in a Jar (Dorina Buian)
- 12:30–14:00: Film Screening – Children’s Animation Tup
- 14:00–14:30: Short Film Screening Schaufenster Enkelgeneration
- 14:00–18:00: Saxon Craft: Leather Bracelet Making
- 15:00–18:00: Mobile Library, Creative Games & Interactive Reading for Kids in German (German Cultural Center)
- 16:00: Zumba
- 16:30–19:30: Birdwatching – Discover Wildlife (Hârtibaciu Nature Tours)
- 17:00: All Aboard the Mocănița!
Sunday, August 24
- 10:00–18:00: Treasure Hunt: Quest Through the Citadel
- 10:00: Ride with the Mocănița!
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Paper Factory
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Pottery Workshop (Nocrich Scout Center)
- 11:00–13:00 & 16:00–18:00: Painting on a 3D Model of Holzmengen Church
- 11:00–12:00: Dramba Workshop
- 11:00–16:00: Succulents in a Jar (Dorina Buian)
- 12:30–14:00: Film Screening – Animation Worksheep Selection
- 14:00–15:30: Film Screening – Sonnenallee
- 14:00–18:00: Saxon Craft: Leather Bracelet Making
- 15:00–18:00: Mobile Library, Creative Games & Interactive Reading for Kids in German (German Cultural Center)
- 16:30–19:30: Birdwatching – Discover Wildlife (Hârtibaciu Nature Tours)
Tickets and passes for Holzstock Indie Festival 2025 are now available on iabilet. Camping is free, children under 14 years old have free access, and friendly furry friends are welcome! The festival offers a variety of educational and recreational activities in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, with a limit of 1,000 participants.
Holzstock Indie Festival awaits you where music echoes among old walls and stars, and the community makes the difference.
The newest news about Holzstock Indie Festival – from the program and line-up to logistical information – will be published on Facebook, Instagram and the festival’s official website.
Holzstock Indie Festival is organized by the European Youth Meeting Center – Hosman Fortified Church and the Democratic Forum of Germans in Sibiu.
Media partners: Radio Guerrilla, ADZ, Cărturești, CriticEyez, CVLTARTES, Happ.ro, Hermannstadter Zeitung, Infomusic, Observator Cultural, Rock Monsters, Sibiu 100%, Sibiu City App, Sibiu Independent, Sibiul Azi, Sibiul în imagini, Subversiv, Sunete, Trăiește Muzica, Utopia Balcanică, Zile și Nopți.
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