The best heavy metal festivals for students

For every type of metalhead, there’s a festival to match, whether you’re into classic metal, a blend of alternative indie, rock and pop punk or anything in between.

Check out prices, past lineups, and other activities to enjoy in the festival area.*

1: Download Festival

Probably the most popular metal festival in the UK, Download caters to commercial metal. Past headliners are a who’s who of metal royalty, including Slipknot, Metallica and KISS.

When you’re not rocking out, there’s plenty for you to do, like watch WWE wrestling, visit the gaming area, funfair, cinema or the Download Megastore for brand new merch.

• Ticket price: £260-300 for full weekend camping
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like? Traditional British festival food, vegetarian/vegan options
• Location: Donington Park, Derby, UK

2: Bloodstock Open Air

Another entry for the East Mids is Bloodstock in Derbyshire, but it’s a different vibe to Download.

It’s smaller for one thing, which, for some, means a less “corporate” feel. For others, it’s just nice to do a bit less marching about between acts.

But the biggest difference is the lineup. If you’re into underground metal and more extreme genres like thrash and death, then Bloodstock is for you. Trivium, Machine Head and Gojira will headline in 2025.

• Ticket price: ~£170-190 for full weekend
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like? Traditional festival food, ale bar, various food trucks
• Location: Catton Park, Derbyshire, UK

3: Wacken Open Air

This German mega festival features something for everyone. Classic, thrash, power, Viking and folk metal come together to get any metal fan into the Wacken spirit.

The festival has hosted heavyweights Iron Maiden and Judas Priest but, as a European festival, you’ll also see a good range of German and Scandi metal acts too. You can also enjoy wrestling, a medieval market and the Viking village.

• Ticket price: €299 for full festival pass
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like? International food, traditional German cuisine, vegetarian options, and a beer garden
• Location: Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

4: Hellfest

Hellfest is known for its eclectic mix of metal, alt-rock, and punk and in 2025, you’ll get to see this in action. Acts include Korn, Linkin Park, Muse and Cypress Hill, among others.

In fact, the festival has hosted some mainstream greats as well such as Guns N' Roses and Nine Inch Nails.

No matter what your particular taste in metal, there are two things that never disappoint? Hellfest’s art department (have you seen their mega-cathedral entrance?) and the glorious French weather. It’s definitely no download.

• Ticket price: €299
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like: a wide variety of French cuisine, international food trucks, craft beer bars, and an excellent wine selection by all accounts.
• Location: Clisson, France

5: Copenhell

Naturally, our Danish entry would have to feature a good helping of Scandinavian metal, but you’ll also find significant entries from the death, progressive, extreme and doom metal genres.

Enjoy the famous climbing Wall of Death and Viking combat and in particular, Smadreland, a “destruction therapy area.”

• Ticket price: €270-335
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like? A selection of Nordic cuisine, food trucks, craft beer
• Location: Refshaleøen, Copenhagen, Denmark

6: Rock am Ring

Ok, so it’s not technically metal but it does feature metal acts. In 2025, the likes of Slipknot, Korn and Bullet for My Valentine will feature alongside Biffy Clyro and Weezer.

• Ticket price: €229-299
• Duration: 3 days
• What’s the food like? German festival food, international cuisine and plentiful beer
• Location: Nürburgring, Nürburg, Germany

7: Graspop Metal Meeting

While Graspop has a knack for featuring some metal greats - Avenged Sevenfold, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Kiss - it also has a reputation for offering something for every metalhead.

Death, doom, gothic, progressive, melodic - you name it, Graspop’s got it. In fact, in 2025, the stages will be filled by the likes of Korn, Powerwolf, Dream Theater, In Flames, Hatebreed, and Paradise Lost.

• Ticket price: €249 for full festival
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like? A wealth of Belgian goodies, an international food court, and a famous Belgian beer selection
• Location: Dessel, Belgium

8: Summer Breeze

Summer Breeze attracts around half the visitors that Wacken does, but this intimate, relaxed atmosphere is something that fans really enjoy.

2025 will offer a wealth of metal subgenres, including power metal entry Blind Guardian, symphonic metal group Within Temptation and deathcore band Angelmaker.

Away from the acts you can enjoy a medieval market and a strong Bavarian food offering. We’d expect nothing less.

• Ticket: €179-199
• Duration: 4 days
• What’s the food like?: Traditional Bavarian, international options, and beer gardens
• Location: Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria, Germany

*Ticket prices apply to full festival passes at the time of writing. Different options and camping packages may be available.

Stock up on festival essentials with UNiDAYS

Heading off for a headbanging summer? Check out UNiDAYs for travel discounts with Expedia and Flixbus as well as discounts on certain suppliers for a range of camping essentials.