About Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air is a heavy metal festival held every August since 2005 at Catton Park, near Walton-on-Trent in Derbyshire. It is described as the UK's largest independent metal festival, with more than 100 bands on several stages and around 20,000 people attending. Compared with Download, Bloodstock is smaller and sticks more closely to heavy metal, booking underground acts alongside well-known names.
The festival started in 2001 as an indoor event at the Derby Assembly Rooms, which ran until 2006, and moved outdoors in 2005. It is run by Paul Gregory and his family. The main stages are named after Ronnie James Dio and Sophie Lancaster. A New Blood stage, first set up as the Unsigned Stage in 2006, is kept for at least 30 new and unsigned bands, chosen through the Metal 2 The Masses battle-of-the-bands contests held around the UK and Ireland. The site also holds a bust containing some of the ashes of Motörhead's Lemmy.
Besides music, the official site lists a large metal market, late-night entertainment in the Sophie Lancaster tent, fairground rides, Lemmy's Bar serving real ale, full weekend camping, a signing tent where fans can meet bands, and a VIP area called the Serpents Lair.
The 2026 festival ran from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 August. Saxon, Lamb of God, Slaughter to Prevail and Judas Priest headlined the Ronnie James Dio stage.
Bloodstock 2027 takes place from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 August, and its headliners were announced while the 2026 festival was still running. Mercyful Fate, Electric Callboy and Motionless in White headline the Ronnie James Dio stage. Madball, Gaerea, Kanonenfieber and Dethklok headline the Sophie Lancaster stage. Others confirmed include Children of Bodom, DevilDriver, Corrosion of Conformity, HammerFall, Hypocrisy, The Halo Effect, Sylosis, Decapitated, Gutalax, Pig Destroyer, Carnifex and The Acacia Strain.
Standard weekend tickets cost £235 plus a booking fee. Early bird, instalment, VIP and campervan tickets had sold out by September 2026. Wednesday early access is available for some campsites, child tickets are sold, and children under 4 get in free. Day tickets go on sale later, and resale goes through Tixel, the official reseller.
Bloodstock Open Air lineup
20 artistsBloodstock Open Air in photos
Image credits
- Main photo: Belphegor138 / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · source
- Photo 1: Miles Essex / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Photo 2: Thargol / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · source
- Photo 3: Thargol / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · source
Photos may be resized or cropped. Logos belong to their festivals.
Frequently asked
When is Bloodstock 2027?
Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 August 2027, at Catton Park in Derbyshire.
Who is headlining?
Mercyful Fate, Electric Callboy and Motionless in White on the Ronnie James Dio stage, and Madball, Gaerea, Kanonenfieber and Dethklok on the Sophie Lancaster stage.
How much is a weekend ticket?
Standard weekend tickets cost £235 plus a booking fee. Early bird, instalment and campervan tickets have sold out.
Can children attend?
Yes. Child tickets are sold, and under-4s get in free.
Are day tickets available?
Not yet. Day tickets will go on sale later.
Contact the festival
Last verified 2026-10-20. Dates, prices and lineups change — always confirm on the official festival site before booking.