# List of heavy metal festivals

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. 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. Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence.
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

Historically notable heavy metal festivals held since the 1980s :
| Festival name | Location | Years | Details |
| Monsters of Rock | England | 1980-1996 | music festival held in Castle Donington (later it branched into other locations) |
| Dynamo Open Air | Netherlands | 1986–2005 | biggest annual metal festival during the 1990s, with 118,000 visitors in 1995 |
| Moscow Music Peace Festival | Russia | 1989 | part of an era of momentous change in the Soviet Union |
| Wacken Open Air | Germany | 1990–present | larger heavy metal festival |
| Sweden Rock Festival | Sweden | 1992–present | classic rock, hard rock and metal |
| Graspop Metal Meeting | Belgium | 1996–present | larger heavy metal festival |
| Download Festival | England | 2003–present | Hard rock, heavy metal, punk |
| Bloodstock Open Air | England | 2001–present | Heavy Metal festival |
| Hellfest Summer Open Air | France | 2006–present | larger heavy metal festival |
| Welcome to Rockville | United States | 2011–present | The hard rock and heavy metal music festival is the largest rock festival in North America. |
| Mangualde Hard Metal Fest | Portugal | 1997–present | Oldest heavy metal festival in the Iberian Peninsula. It's also in the top 10 of the oldest heavy metal festivals in the world. Heavy metal, hard rock and punk. |

## Current heavy metal festivals
### Africa
#### Botswana

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approximate time of year | Notes |
| Overthrust Winter Metal Mania Festival | Ghanzi | 2010–present | May | featuring local and African metal bands |

### Asia
#### India

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Bangalore Open Air | Karnataka | 2012–present | July | |
| Thunderstrock Festival | Ranchi, Jharkhand | 2008–present | September | |

#### Indonesia

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Hammersonic Festival | Jakarta | 2012–present | March–April | all heavy music |
| Hellprint | Bandung | 2011–present | November–March | all heavy music |
| Rock In Celebes | Makassar | 2010–present | November | rock genres |
| Rock in Solo | Surakarta | 2004–present | October–November | heritage metal |

#### Japan

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Loud Park Festival | Saitama City or Chiba City | 2023-present | October | |

### Europe
#### Austria

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Kaltenbach Open Air | | 2003–present | August | |
| Nova Rock | Nickelsdorf | 2005–present | June | |

#### Belgium

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Graspop Metal Meeting | Dessel | 1996–present | End of June | One of the biggest metal festivals in Europe |
| Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival | Kortrijk | 2008–present | Beginning of August | Started indoor but changed to an outdoor festival in 2013 |
| Hell's Balls | Kortrijk | 2023-present | Beginning of November | Indoor festival organized by the organization of Alcatraz |
| Huginns Awakening Fest | Oostende | 2009–present | April/May | Thrash Speed Heavy metal festival |
| Headbanger's Balls Fest | Izegem | 2012–present | Beginning of May |
| Blast from the Past Festival | Kuurne | 2013–present | December | Old school heavy metal festival |
| Ieper Hardcore Fest | Ypres | 1992-present | Beginning of July | Hardcore |
| Durbuy Rock | Bomal | 1997-present | Beginning of May | |
| Hell Open Air | Diest | 2023-present | Beginning of May | Heavy metal and cover festival |

#### Bulgaria

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Hills of Rock | Rowing Canal in Plovdiv, Bulgaria | 2017 - current | July | rock, metal, crossover punk |

#### Czech Republic

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Brutal Assault | Jaroměř | 1996–present | August | extreme metal, heavy metal, hardcore punk, experimental music |
| Masters of Rock (festival) | Vizovice | 2003–present | July | heavy metal, power metal, rock |
| Metalfest | Pilsen | 2007–present | June | heavy metal, power metal, death |
| Obscene Extreme | Trutnov | 1999–present | July | grindcore, death metal, hardcore punk |
| Rock Castle | Moravský Krumlov | 2021-present | August | metal |
| Basin Fire Fest | Spálené Poříčí | 2003-present | June | metal, punk, international + local bands |

#### Denmark

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Copenhell | 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 | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Hard Rock Laager | Vana-Vigala | 2002–present | June | The biggest metal festival in Estonia |
| Howls of Winter | Tallinn | 2014–present | February | black metal |

#### 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 | Laukaa | 2016–present | July | The best rock festival in Finland |
| 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 |
| Tuska Open Air | Helsinki | 1998–present | July | all subgenres of metal |

#### France

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

#### Germany

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. month | Audience | Notes |
| Chronical Moshers Open Air | Heinsdorfergrund | 1982–present | June | Up to 1.000 | Death, Black and Thrash Metal |
| Dark Troll Festival | Bornstedt | 2009-present | May | Est. 1,200 | Pagan, Black, Folk, Post, Melodic Death, Death Metal, Celtic Metal |
| Dong Open Air | Neukirchen-Vluyn | 2001–present | July | up to 5,000 | All subgenres of Metal |
| Elbriot | Hamburg | 2013–present | August | up to 12,000 | Metal Festival in Hamburg |
| Euroblast Festival | Cologne | 2008–present | October | up to 12,000 | Progressive and Avantgarde Metal |
| Full Force | Löbnitz | 1994–present | July | Est. 25,000 | Hardcore, Metalcore, Punk and Metal |
| Impericon Festivals | Leipzig, Hamburg, Munich, Oberhausen | 2011-present | March | up to 11,000 | Biggest indoor festivals in Europe; Metalcore |
| In Flammen Open Air | Torgau | | July | up to 6,000 | Death, Black and Thrash Metal |
| Mammut Festival | Königsbrunn | 2022-present | March | min. 500 | Audience increasing fast; all subgenres of Metal |
| Metal Frenzy Open Air Festival | Gardelegen | 2014–present | June | up to 5,000 | Metal and Hard Rock |
| Party.San Metal Open Air | Schlotheim | 1996-present | August | up to 10,000 | All subgenres of Metal |
| Ragnarök Festival | Lichtenfels, Bavaria | 2004–present | April | up to 4000 | Black, Pagan, Viking, Death Metal |
| Rock am Ring and Rock im Park | Nürburgring | 1985-present | June | up to 92,000 | Biggest rock festival in the world; Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Rock |
| RockXplosion | Leonberg | 1984-present | July | up to 2,000 | Death Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore Punk, Punk Rock |
| Rock Hard Festival | Gelsenkirchen | 2003–present | June | 7,000 | Heavy, Power, Thrash and Death Metal |
| Rockharz Open Air | Ballenstedt | 1993/94-present | July | up to 24,000 | All subgenres of Metal |
| Rock um zu helfen | Freiberg, Saxony | | October | | Rock genres |
| Reload Festival | Sulingen | 2006-present | August | up to 15,000 | Metal, Hardcore, Punk & Party |
| Summer Breeze Open Air | Dinkelsbühl | 1997–present | August | up to 40,000 | Death, Black, Thrash Metal |
| Under the Black Sun | Friesack near Berlin | 1997-present | June or July | up to 1000 | Black Metal |
| Wacken Open Air | Wacken | 1990–present | August | up to 85,000 | Largest metal festival in Germany; all subgenres of Metal |

#### Latvia

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Zobens un Lemess | Bauska | 2014–present | June | folk, pagan, metal subgenres; 3 day festival |
| munky pride | Vandāni | 2021–present | July | grindcore, goregrind, trash, brutal death metal, punk |

#### Lithuania

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Kilkim Žaibu | Varniai | 1999–present | June (end) | black, Viking metal and folk music |

#### Netherlands

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Dynamo Open Air | Eindhoven | 1986–present | July | |
| Into the Grave | Leeuwarden | 2010–present | June | |
| MidsummerProg | Valkenburg | 2017–present | June | |
| ProgPower Europe | Baarlo | 1999–present | October | featuring power, progressive metal |
| Roadburn Festival | Tilburg | 1999–present | April | large festival featuring doom, stoner, death, black metal |
| Metalyard | Arnhem | 2015–present | April | indoor festival featuring thrash, heavy metal, death, black metal and so on. |

#### Norway

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

#### Portugal

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| HARDMETALFEST | Mangualde | 1997–present | January | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
| Laurus Nobilis Music | Famalicão | 2015–present | August | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
| Rock in Rio Lisboa | Lisboa | 2004–present | May | featuring various genres |
| SWR Barroselas Metalfest | Barroselas | 1998–present | April | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
| Vagos Metal Fest | Calvão | 2016–present | August | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
| Evil Live | Lisboa | 2009–present | June | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |

#### Romania

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Artmania Festival | Sibiu | 2006–present | August | art festival featuring heavy metal |
| Metalhead Meeting | Bucharest | 2013–present | June/July | death metal, black metal, heavy metal |
| Rockstadt Extreme Festival | Rasnov | 2013–present | August | death metal, black metal, heavy metal |
| Metal Gates Festival | Bucharest | 2017–present | November | death metal, black metal, doom metal |
| Posada Rock Fest | Campulung Muscel | 1986–present | |

#### Russia

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Metal Over Russia | Moscow | | July | 3-day doom, death, black, dark, pagan, folk metal |

#### Slovenia

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Tolminator | Tolmin | 2023–present | July | all styles of metal, attendance capped at 5000 visitors. Spiritual successor to Metaldays and MetalCamp |

#### 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 |
| Resurrection Fest | Viveiro | 2006–present | July | featuring hardcore, metalcore, thrash, death, black metal, punk |
| Rock Imperium | Cartagena | 2022-present | June | mostly traditional, glam, power metal. |
| Z! Live Rock Fest | Zamora | 2016-present | June | mostly traditional, thrash and power metal. |

#### Sweden

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| House of Metal | Umeå | 2007–present | February or March | all subgenres of metal |
| Sweden Rock Festival | Sölvesborg | 1992–present | June | classic rock, hard rock and metal |
| Huskvarna Metal Fest | Jönköping | | Spring and fall | black, death, thrash metal |

#### United Kingdom

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Bloodstock Open Air | Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire | 2005–present | August | outdoor festival featuring death, black, thrash, folk metal, with attendance of 13,000 (2013) |
| Damnation Festival | Manchester, England | 2005–present | November | one-day festival featuring death, black, thrash, doom metal |
| Download Festival | 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 |
| Hard Rock Hell | Gwynedd, North Wales | 2007–present | November | Three day metal festival held at a resort |
| Incineration Festival | London, England | 2014–present | May | extreme metal festival for fans of death metal, black metal, doom metal, thrash metal, and slam |
| Slam Dunk Festival | | | | |
| Stonedead Festival | Newark, Notts, England | 2018–Present | August | One Day, One Stage, One Monster Rock Show |

### North America
#### Canada

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Gaspesian Metal Fest | Matane | | June | Underground metal festival |
| Hyperspace Metal Festival | Vancouver | | April | Canada's premier melodic & power metal festival |

#### Mexico

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| Candelabrum Metal Fest | León | | September | |
| Hell & Heaven Metal Fest | Mexico City (Toluca) | 2010–present | November - December | 3 Day Open-Air Metal Festival, featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal & hard rock |
| México Metal Fest | Monterrey | 2016–present | November | 1 Day |
| Total Death Over México | Mexico City | 2018–present | May | 3 Day Underground Death, Black Metal Festival |

#### United States

| Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
| 98RockFest | Tampa, FL | 2007–present | April | Metal, grunge and hard rock festival |
| Aftershock Festival | Sacramento, CA | 2012–present | October | Hard rock and heavy metal festival |
| AURA Fest | Savannah, GA | 2017–present | June | All Underground Rock All Day |
| Full Terror Assault | Cave-In-Rock, IL | 2021–present | September | European style Open Air Festival for extreme music fans |
| Hell's Heroes | Houston, TX | 2018–present | March | Thrash and epic metal festival |
| INKcarceration | Mansfield, OH | 2018–present | July | Rock music and tattoo festival |
| Legions of Metal Fest | Chicago, IL | 2017–present | June | |
| Louder Than Life | Louisville, KY | 2014–present | September | Hard rock/heavy metal festival |
| Mad With Power Fest | Madison, WI | 2018–present | August | Power Metal/Traditional Heavy Metal festival |
| Maryland Deathfest | Baltimore, MD | 2003–present | May | Extreme Music |
| Mass Destruction Metal Fest | Atlanta, GA | 2017–present | November | Extreme Metal Festival |
| Milwaukee Metal Fest | Milwaukee, WI | 1987–2004, 2023–present | May | |
| New England Metal and Hardcore Festival | Worcester, MA | 1999–2018, 2023–present | September | |
| ProgPower USA | Atlanta, GA | 2001–present | September | Progressive and Power Metal |
| Rocklahoma | Pryor, OK | 2007–present | September | Hard rock and metal festival |
| Sick New World Festival | Las Vegas, NV | 2023–present | April | Nu-Metal Fest |
| Sonic Temple | Columbus, OH | 2019, 2023–present | May | Hard rock and metal festival |
| Welcome to Rockville | Daytona Beach, FL | 2011–present | April/May | Hard rock and heavy metal music festival |

## Tours

The following is an incomplete list of traveling metal festivals, both active and defunct:
* 70000 Tons of Metal
* Clash of the Titans
* Crüe Fest
* Family Values Tour
* Doomination
* G3
* Gigantour
* Headbangers Boat
* Jägermeister Music Tour
* Knotfest
* Magic Circle Festival
* Mayhem Festival
* Metal Masters Tour
* Monsters of Rock Cruise
* No Mercy Festival
* Ozzfest
* Sonisphere
* The Summer Slaughter Tour
* Taste Of Chaos
* The Unholy Alliance
* Uproar Festival
* X-Mass Festival

## Heavy metal festivals that are no longer active
### Europe
#### Slovenia

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