List of heavy metal festivals explained

See main article: article and Rock festival.

List of heavy metal festivals
Abovestyle:background:#E9967A;
Above:List of heavy metal festivals
Headerstyle:background:#EDC9AF;
Header1:General Information
Label2:Related genres
Data2:Heavy metal, punk rock, rock
Label3:Location
Data3:Europe and United States (origin)
Worldwide (current)
Label4:Related events
Data4:Punk rock festival, rock festival

This is an incomplete list of heavy metal festivals. The genre of heavy metal (or simply metal) is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United States and the United Kingdom.[1] [2] [3] With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the first heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, and during the late 1960s and mid-1970s these bands and others in their genre were featured at a number of historic rock festivals.[4] Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence.[5] [6]

After the genre fused with other related genres such as punk rock in the late 1970s, bands in the new wave of British heavy metal such as Iron Maiden and Saxon followed in a similar vein. Before the end of the decade, heavy metal fans became known as "metalheads" or "headbangers", and there were festivals worldwide, both touring and stationary, dedicated to heavy metal subgenres and heavy metal itself. During the 1980s, glam metal became a commercial force, while Underground scenes and extreme subgenres of metal such as death metal and black metal remained subcultural phenomena, though they have their own dedicated festivals as well. Since the mid-1990s, popular styles have further expanded the definition of the genre.

Historical heavy metal festivals

Selected historically notable heavy metal festivals held since the 1960s! Festival name! Location! Years! Details
Australia1971pop festival headlined by Black Sabbath
Texxas Jam United States1978-1988Three-day festival held in both Dallas and Houston, featuring hard rock and heavy metal acts like Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Blue Öyster Cult, and Dio
Monsters of Rock England1980-1996music festival held in Castle Donington (later it branched into other locations)
Dynamo Open Air Netherlands1986–2005biggest annual metal festival during the 1990s, with 118,000 visitors in 1995
Moscow Music Peace Festival Russia1989part of an era of momentous change in the Soviet Union
Wacken Open Air Germany1990–presentlarger heavy metal festival
Sweden Rock Festival Sweden1992–presentclassic rock, hard rock and metal
Graspop Metal Meeting Belgium1996–presentlarger heavy metal festival
Download Festival England2003–presentHard rock, heavy metal, punk
Bloodstock Open Air England2001–presentHeavy Metal festival
Hellfest Summer Open Air France2006–presentlarger heavy metal festival

Current heavy metal festivals

Africa

Botswana

Asia

India

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Karnataka2012–presentJuly
Thunderstrock FestivalRanchi, Jharkhand2008–presentSeptember

Indonesia

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
Hammersonic FestivalJakarta2012–presentMarch–Aprilall heavy music
HellprintBandung2011–presentNovember–Marchall heavy music
Rock In CelebesMakassar2010–presentNovemberrock genres
Rock in SoloSurakarta2004–presentOctober–Novemberheritage metal

Japan

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Download FestivalChiba City2019–presentMarch
Loud Park FestivalSaitama City or Chiba City2023-presentOctober

Europe

Austria

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
Kaltenbach Open Air[8] 2003–presentAugust
Nova RockNickelsdorf2005–presentJune

Belgium

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
1996–present End of June One of the biggest metal festivals in Europe
Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival[9] 2008–present Beginning of August Started indoor but changed to an outdoor festival in 2013
Hell's Balls BelgiumKortrijk2023-presentBeginning of novemberIndoor festival organized by the organization of Alcatraz
Huginns Awakening Fest 2009–present April/May Thrash Speed Heavy metal festival
Headbanger's Balls Fest 2012–present Beginning of May
Blast from the Past Festival 2013–present December Old school heavy metal festival
Ieper Hardcore FestYpres1992-presentBeginning of JulyHardcore
Durbuy RockBomal1997-presentBeginning of may

Czech Republic

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Jaroměř 1996–present August extreme metal, heavy metal, hardcore punk, experimental music
Vizovice 2003–present July heavy metal, power metal, rock
Pilsen2007–present June heavy metal, power metal, death
Trutnov 1999–present July grindcore, death metal, hardcore punk
Rock CastleMoravský Krumlov2021-presentAugustmetal
Basin Fire FestSpálené Poříčí2003-presentJunemetal, punk, international + local bands

Denmark

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Copenhagen 2010–present June featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock
Aalborg Metal Festival Aalborg 2002–present November featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock
Royal Metal Fest Aarhus 2008–present April featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock
Viborg Metal Festival Viborg 2014–present March featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock
Metal Magic Festival Fredericia 2008–present July featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock

Estonia

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
Hard Rock Laager Vana-Vigala 2002–present June The biggest metal festival in Estonia[10]
Howls of Winter Tallinn 2014–present February black metal
Barbar Feast Saula 2019–present July The most epic metal festival in Europe![11]

Finland

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Dark River Festival Kotka August all subgenres of metal
Hellsinki Metal Festival Helsinki 2023-present August all subgenres of metal
John Smith Rock Festival[12] Laukaa 2016–present July The best rock festival in Finland[13]
Nummirock Kauhajoki 1987–present June all subgenres of metal
Saarihelvetti Tampere August all subgenres of metal
Steelfest Open Air Hyvinkää 2008–present May black and death metal
Turku Saatanalle Turku 2011–present March black metal
Helsinki 1998–present July all subgenres of metal

France

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Clisson 2006–present June up to 60.000 people; all subgenres of Metal
Brittany 2007–present August death, black, thrash metal
Plane'R FestColombier-Saugnieu 2012–present July all subgenres of Metal
Sylak Open AirSaint-Maurice-de-Gourdans August all subgenres of Metal, hardcore

Germany

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Chronical Moshers Open Air Heinsdorfergrund 1982–present June up to 1.000 people; Death, Black and Thrash Metal
Dark Troll Festival Bornstedt 2009-present May put to 1.200 people; Pagan, Black, Folk, Post, Melodic Death, Death Metal, Celtic Metal
Neukirchen-Vluyn 2001–present July up to 5.000 people; all subgenres of Metal
Hamburg 2013–present August up to 12.000 people; Metal Festival in Hamburg[14]
Cologne 2008–present October up to 12.000 people; Progressive and Avantgarde Metal
Ferryman Metal Open Air Tübingen 2024 June 500-1000 people; all subgenres of Metal
Löbnitz 1994–present July put to 25.000 people; Hardcore, Metalcore, Punk and Metal
Impericon Festivals Leipzig, Hamburg, Munich, Oberhausen 2011-present March up to 11.000 people each Festival; biggest indoor festivals in Europe; Metalcore
In Flammen Open Air Torgau July up to 6.000 people; Death, Black and Thrash Metal
Mammut Festival Königsbrunn 2022-present March min. 500 people, but raises fast; all subgenres of Metal
Metal Frenzy Open Air Festival Gardelegen 2014–present June up to 5.000 people; Metal and Hard Rock
Party.San Metal Open Air Schlotheim 1996-present August up to 10.000 people; all subgenres of Metal
2004–present April up to 4000 people; Black, Pagan, Viking, Death Metal
Nürburgring, Adenau, Eifel 1985-present June up to 92.000 people; biggest rock festival in the world; Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Rock
Nürnberg 1995-present June up to 88.000 people; Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Rock
RockXplosion Leonberg 1984-present July up to 2.000 people; Death Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore Punk, Punk Rock
Gelsenkirchen 2003–present June 7.000 people; Heavy, Power, Thrash and Death Metal
Rockharz Open Air Ballenstedt 1993/94-present July up to 24.000 people; all subgenres of Metal
Rock um zu helfen Freiberg, Saxony October rock genres
Reload Festival Sulingen 2006-present August up to 15.000 people; Metal, Hardcore, Punk & Party
Dinkelsbühl 1997–present August up to 40.000 people; Death, Black, Thrash Metal
Under the Black Sun Friesack near Berlin 1997-present June or July up to 1000 people; Black Metal
Wacken 1990–present August up to 85.000 people; largest metal festival in Germany; all subgenres of Metal

Lithuania

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Anykščiai 2009–2023 July (mid) a retreat of freedom and rock & roll[15]
Varniai 1999–present June (end) black, Viking metal and folk music

Netherlands

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Amsterdam 2015–present April & October one-day festival
Eindhoven 2015–present July
Into the Grave Leeuwarden2010–present June
MidsummerProg Valkenburg 2017–present June
Baarlo 1999–present October featuring power, progressive metal
Tilburg 1999–present April large festival featuring doom, stoner, death, black metal
Arnhem 2015–present April indoor festival featuring thrash, heavy metal, death, black metal and so on.

Norway

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
2001–present April featuring black, death, thrash, doom metal
Tons of Rock 2014-present June wide range of metal subgenres
Karmøygeddon Metal Festival 2004–present May wide range of metal subgenres
Garasjefestival 2017–present July black, death, trash and other subgenres of metal

Poland

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Mystic FestivalGdańsk1999; 2001-2003; 2005; 2007; 2019–presentJuneHeavy metal music festival[16]
Siekiera festWrocław2019–presentSeptemberThe very first festival of a kind featuring great Polish bands[17]

Portugal

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
HARDMETALFESTMangualde1997–presentJanuaryfeaturing power, death, black, thrash, doom metal
Laurus Nobilis MusicFamalicão2015–presentAugustfeaturing power, death, black, thrash, doom metal
Lisboa 2004–present May featuring various genres
SWR Barroselas MetalfestBarroselas1998–presentAprilfeaturing power, death, black, thrash, doom metal
Vagos Metal Fest 2016–present August featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal
Evil LiveLisboa2009–presentJunefeaturing power, death, black, thrash, doom metal

Romania

Festival nameLocation ActiveApprox. time of yearNotes
Sibiu 2006–presentAugust art festival featuring heavy metal
Metalhead Meeting Bucharest2013–presentJune/Julydeath metal, black metal, heavy metal
Rockstadt Extreme Festival Rasnov2013–presentAugust death metal, black metal, heavy metal
Metal Gates Festival Bucharest2017–presentNovemberdeath metal, black metal, doom metal
Posada Rock Fest Campulung Muscel1986–present
Maximum Rock Festival Bucuresti2006–presentLate August gothic metal, heavy metal, death metal

Spain

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Barcelona Rock Fest Barcelona 2014–present July featuring hardcore, metalcore, thrash, death, black metal, punk
Leyendas del Rock Villena 2006–present August mostly traditional, thrash, power and gothic metal
Viveiro 2006–present July featuring hardcore, metalcore, thrash, death, black metal, punk
Rock ImperiumCartagena2022-presentJunemostly traditional, glam, power metal.
Z! Live Rock FestZamora2016-presentJunemostly traditional, thrash and power metal.

Sweden

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
Gefle Metal Festival Gävle 2016–present July all subgenres of metal
Umeå 2007–present February or March all subgenres of metal
Sölvesborg 1992–present June classic rock, hard rock and metal
Huskvarna Metal Fest Jönköping Spring and fallblack, death, thrash metal
High 5ive Summer FestStockholm2018–presentSummerMetalcore, Hardcore, Pop Punk, Post-hardcore, Deathcore

United Kingdom

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire 2005–present August outdoor festival featuring death, black, thrash, folk metal, with attendance of 13,000 (2013)
Manchester, England 2005–present November one-day festival featuring death, black, thrash, doom metal
Donington Park, Leicestershire 2003–present June large rock festival featuring hard rock, nu-metal, metalcore, death metal, black metal and pro wrestling from NXT UK
Prestatyn, Wales 2009–present March
Gwynedd, North Wales 2007–present November Three day metal festival held at a resort[18]
Incineration FestivalLondon, England2014–presentMayextreme metal festival for fans of death metal, black metal, doom metal, thrash metal, and slam
Monsters of Rock
Slam Dunk Festival[19]
Stonedead FestivalNewark, Notts, England2018–PresentAugustOne Day, One Stage, One Monster Rock Show[20]

North America

Canada

Festival nameLocationActiveApprox. time of yearNotes
Gaspesian Metal FestMataneJuneUnderground metal festival
Hyperspace Metal FestivalVancouverAprilCanada's premier melodic & power metal festival

Mexico

Festival nameLocationActiveApprox. time of yearNotes
Candelabrum Metal FestLeónSeptember
Hell & Heaven Metal FestMexico City (Toluca)2010–presentNovember - December3 Day Open-Air Metal Festival, featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal & hard rock
México Metal FestMonterrey2016–presentNovember1 Day
Total Death Over MéxicoMexico City2018–presentMay3 Day Underground Death, Black Metal Festival

United States

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
2007–present April Metal, grunge and hard rock festival[21]
2012–present October Hard rock and heavy metal festival[22]
AURA Fest[23] 2017–present June All Underground Rock All Day[24]
Full Terror Assault[25] 2021–present September European style Open Air Festival for extreme music fans[26]
INKcarceration[27] 2018–present July Rock music and tattoo festival[28]
Legions of Metal Fest[29] 2017–presentJune
2014–present September Hard rock/heavy metal festival[30]
Mad With Power Fest[31] 2018–present August Power Metal/Traditional Heavy Metal festival[32]
2003–present May Extreme Music[33]
Mass Destruction Metal Fest[34] 2017–present November Extreme Metal Festival[35]
Milwaukee Metal Fest[36] 1987–2004, 2023–present May
1999–2018, 2023–present September
2001–present September Progressive and Power Metal[37]
2007–present September Hard rock and metal festival[38]
Sick New World Festival[39] 2023–present April Nu-Metal Fest[40]
2019, 2023–present May Hard rock and metal festival[41]
2011–present April/May Hard rock and heavy metal music festival[42]

Oceania

Australia

Festival name Location ActiveApprox. time of year Notes
Blacken Open Air[43] Hale, Northern Territory2016–presentVariousOpen air 2 - 3 day festival, Not held in 2020 and 2021
Download FestivalMelbourne and Sydney2018–presentMarchMelbourne and Sydney in 2019

Tours

The following is an incomplete list of traveling metal festivals, both active and defunct:

Heavy metal festivals that are no longer active

Europe

Slovenia

Festival name Location Active Approx. time of year Notes
2004–2012 August replaced by Metaldays, featuring death, black, folk, thrash, doom metal
2013–2023 August replaced Metalcamp and previously held in Tolmin, featuring death, black, folk, thrash, doom metal

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Du Noyer (2003), p. 96; Weinstein (2000), pp. 11–13.
  2. Web site: The History of Heavy Metal. musicianwave.com. 9 August 2021 . May 3, 2022.
  3. Weinstein (2000), pp. 14, 118.
  4. Fast (2005), pp. 89–91; Weinstein (2000), pp. 7, 8, 23, 36, 103, 104.
  5. Walser (1993), p. 6.
  6. "As much as Sabbath started it, Priest were the ones who took it out of the blues and straight into metal." Bowe, Brian J. Judas Priest: Metal Gods. .
  7. Web site: African Heavy Metal Bands Give Back to their Communities. 10 September 2015. BORGEN. en-US. 21 May 2016.
  8. Web site: Kaltenbach Open Air. kaltenbach-openair.at. 15 April 2024.
  9. Web site: History. alcatraz.be. 25 September 2022.
  10. Web site: Live Report: HARD ROCK LAAGER 2017 Festival: "A Hidden Treasure In Deep Forests Of Estonia". metalshockfinland.com. 29 July 2017 . 31 March 2023.
  11. Web site: Barbar Feast 2023. barbarrockclub.com. 31 March 2023.
  12. Web site: John Smith Rock Festival 2023 in Laukaa (FI). festivalsunited.com. April 4, 2023.
  13. Web site: John Smith Rock Festival. johnsmith.fi. April 4, 2023.
  14. Web site: Elbriot Festival 2016. tilogo.com. June 5, 2023.
  15. Web site: ABOUT. devilstone.net. April 3, 2023.
  16. Web site: Mystic Festival 2023. musicfestivalwizard.com. April 2, 2023.
  17. Web site: SIEKIERA festiwal. siekierafest.pl. April 2, 2023.
  18. Web site: Hard Rock Hell 2002. musicfestivalwizard.com. April 4, 2023.
  19. Web site: Slam Dunk Festival . slamdunkfestival.com. June 2, 2024.
  20. Web site: One Day, One Stage, One Monster Show. stonedeadfestival.co.uk. April 2, 2023.
  21. Web site: 98ROCKFEST lineup. tampabay.com. April 24, 2023.
  22. Web site: Aftershock Festival Featuring Guns N' Roses, Queens of the Stone Age, Megadeth, Tool, Incubus, Pantera, and More Taking Place This Fall. 955klos.com. 21 March 2023 . March 25, 2023.
  23. Web site: AURA Fest announces. savannahnow.com. May 25, 2022.
  24. Web site: AURA Fest announces. savannahnow.com. September 24, 2022.
  25. Web site: Full Terror Assault. fullterrorassault.com. May 15, 2022.
  26. Web site: About. fullterrorassault.com. September 24, 2022.
  27. Web site: INKcarceration. mansfieldnewsjournal.com. August 31, 2022.
  28. Web site: Inkcarceration announces lineup for 2022 rock festival at Ohio State Reformatory. richlandsource.com. 3 February 2022 . October 2, 2022.
  29. Web site: Legions of Metal Fest. reggieslive.com. December 15, 2023.
  30. Web site: REVIEW: Here's What We Experienced At Louder Than Life 2022. leoweekly.com. March 25, 2023.
  31. Web site: Mad With Power Fest. madwithpowerfest.com. 20 August 2022.
  32. Web site: Mad With Power Fest. madwithpowerfest.com. September 24, 2022.
  33. Web site: About Deathfests. deathfests.com. 24 September 2022.
  34. Web site: Mass Destruction. massdestructionmetalfest.com. May 15, 2022.
  35. Web site: MASS DESTRUCTION METAL FEST. earsplitcompound.com. 19 December 2019 . September 24, 2022.
  36. Web site: Milwaukee Metal Fest. milwaukeemetalfestival.com. 16 December 2023.
  37. Web site: EvilG. Heart of Steel: Interviews Glenn Harveston Organizer of ProgPower USA. Metal-Rules. September 24, 2022.
  38. Web site: Rocklahoma To Include MEGADETH, ROB ZOMBIE, DEVILDRIVER And More This Year!. metalinjection.net. 14 January 2016 . April 24, 2023.
  39. Web site: Sick New World Festival. sicknewworldfest.com. January 16, 2024.
  40. Web site: Sick New World Festival Announces 2024 Lineup. stereogum.com. 9 October 2023 . January 16, 2024.
  41. Web site: Sonic Temple 2023. consequence.net. 10 January 2023 . June 4, 2023.
  42. Web site: Welcome to Rockville gives first look at 2022 lineup. clickorlando.com. 8 December 2021 . September 3, 2022.
  43. Web site: Blacken Open Air Australia 2022. 2022-06-13. www.blackenfestival.com. en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of heavy metal festivals".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.