12 of the best rock and metal festivals in Europe you cannot skip in 2025

This article was written and curated by the TicketSwap team, translated for you with AI.

Here's our guide to the best music festivals for metal music fans in Europe, whether you're looking to mosh at heavy metal festivals or planning your next hard rock festival experience, whatever the genre: whether you're looking for crust punk or thrash metal, nu metal or black metal - or even viking metal (yes, it's a thing), something more hardcore like death metal, folk-infused indie rock or some good old screamo madness, from Spring through to the end of August.

Best rock festivals and best metal festivals in Europe in 2025: announcements, line-ups and calendar

Zwarte Cross 2025

Jul 17-20, Zwarte Cross, Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands

Where else can you see motocross, daredevils hurtling through the sky, huge international artists and world-class theatre and comedy, all in one place?

Following an incredible festival last year with Armin van Buuren, The Darkness, NOFX and Status Quo, we're coun counting down the days until Zwarte Cross 2025.

August metal festivals in Europe

Punk Rock Holiday 2.5

August 5– 8, Tolmin, Slovenia

Into punk rock? Another green and sunny holiday destination in August 2025 where you can catch the hottest rock bands is Slovenia’s Punk Rock Holiday. Last year Rise Against, Flogging Molly, Alkaline Trio, Descendents, Less Than Jake, Mad Caddies, Comeback Kid, Zebrahead, Strung Out and beyond were on hand and ready to knock your socks off - and we'll be sharing 2025 lineups as soon as they're in.

Alcatraz Open Air '25

August 7 – 11, Lange munte Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium

Belgians must love rock and metal because Alcatraz Open Air is another one of those legendary and brutal festivals you don’t want to miss this summer, starting on August 7 2025.

Last year's billing incuded Epica, WHITECHAPEL, Carcass, Stratovarius, peter pan speedrock, asphyx, Sonata Arctica, SUICIDAL ANGELS, BARK, Carnation and Temptations for the Weak: it’s clear that this isn’t one for the light-hearted.

No need to escape Alcatraz Open Air; after three days of guitars and fun, with Machine Head, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor and more on the lineup, you’ll be sent home with some new mates and good stories next August. 

Download Festival 2025

Jun 13 – 15 2025, Download Festival, Castle Donington, Donington Park, United Kingdom

Plenty of choice for rock lovers in the United Kingdom: Reading Festival and Leeds Festival well and truly know how to stack their lineups with indie, rock, and metal acts (yes, including heavy metal).

The two festivals usually take place in the last weekend of August, but if you can’t wait that long and need your guitar fix even sooner, Download Festival, one of the UK's biggest rock and metal festivals, held annually at Donington Park is the place to be. Dedicated to the harder genres, the four-day event covers pretty much all loud styles.

From punk to rock all through post-hardcore, you'll catch bands from all over the spectrum, spanning the decades. Previous artists on the line-up have included Queens of the Stone Age, Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, Royal Blood, The Offspring, Machine Head and even Pantera.

Resurrection Fest 2025

June 25 – 28 2025, Avenida Ramón Canosa, Viveiro, Spain

You're gonna wanna make it down to Resurrection for the 2025 edition, trust us. After all, it's their 20th birthday... Possibly the sunniest metal festival in Europe, Resurrection fest has tempted crowds from all over the world to indulge in something a little more extreme, all under a Spanish summer breeze. Festival goers can expect a whole world of grungy joy, with a whole buffet of metal genres.

The 2025 lineup is yet to drop, but bands playing at Resurrection Fest 2024 included Bring Me The Horizon, Alice Cooper, Sum 41 (for their final ever tour) Megadeth, Bad Omens, Bruce Dickinson, Corey Taylor, Babymetal, Electric Callboy, Accept, Fear Factory, Slaughter to Prevail, Biohazard (with their original line-up), and many others.

Pirata Beach Fest Gandía 2025

2025 dates TBC, Gandia, Spain

Another tip-off for those seeking out something in warmer climates (especially if you like your rock with a side of rap and fustion).

For the 2024 edition, Valencia's Pirata Beach Fest offered up more than 70 artists across 5 stages, including ZOO, SFDK, Natos y Waor, Trueno, Oques Grasses, Mägo de Oz, Non Servium, La Plazuela, Chambao, La Fuga and many more on the festival bill. 2025 information is yet to drop, but we're expecting major things.

Rock for People 2025

Jun 12 – 15, Park 360, Hradec Kralove, Czechia

Rock for People weekend festival kicks off annually in June, taking place in Hradec Králové, which is located at around 80 minutes from Prague.

Last year's edition gave punters the chance to see maaaaaany massive names like Yungblud, The Prodigy, Bad Omens, Avril Lavigne and many more set the stage on fire over the four days of absolute mayhem.

Watch this space for the Rock For People 2025 line-up and further info.

Sweden Rock Festival 2025

4-7 June 2025, Sweden Rock Festivalen, Sölvesborg, Sweden

The festival’s name might suggest otherwise, but if you’re a true metalhead, this is where you need to be. Offering "classic rock, hard rock, metal and even some blues", this one's a crowd pleaser.

The 2024 line-up saw iconic acts like Five Finger Death Punch, High on Fire, Primal Fear, Steel Panther, Rival Sons, Vicious Rumors, Steel Panther, Graveyard and more hit the stage; we'll share more on 2025 acts here when we have it.

Best Kept Secret

13-15 June 2025, Beekse Bergen, Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands

Best Kept Secret often gets described as one of the finest festivals in The Netherlands because of the idyllic festival site next to a lake, the relaxed atmosphere, and the carefully curated lineup.

The most recent BKS feauted alt-rock legend PJ Harvey on the billing, along with garage rock band Osees, post-hardcore act Mannequin Pussy, plus Amyl & The Sniffers, The Armed. You get it, BKS is kind of a big deal.

If you’re into avant-garde, niche genres, this one’s for you.

Graspop Metal Meeting 2025

June 19 – 22 2025, Festivalpark Dessel, Dessel, Belgium

When we say metal meeting, we mean metal meeting. Held annually since 1996, Graspop Metal Meeting is the stage that artists want to play.

Graspop Metal Meeting is where metal heads from all over Europe come together every year to stomp the holy grounds of Festivalpark Stenehei.

In 2024, black metal act Abbath peformed Immortal, along with appearances from Alice Cooper, Black Stone Cherry, Brand of Sacrifice, Deathbyromy, Avenged Seenfold, Babymetal, Body Count feat. Ice-T, Bring Me The Horizon, Deep Purple, Doro, Megadeth, Scorpions, Steel Panther, Tarja, and Tool, and many others.

One of the most popular metal festivals in Europe, and we can see why. Watch this space for 2025 artist info.

Jera On Air 2025

June 27 – 29, Ysselsteyn, Netherlands

Starting as an independent and small festival somewhere on some grass fields in the south of The Netherlands, Jera On Air has quickly become a staple in the punk rock scene. Oh, and did we mention the punk parties in the evening?

Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, and Megadeth headlined the three-dayer in 2024, next to performing bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Bring Me The Horizon, Deep Purple, and Scorpions.

We'll share 2025 Jera On Air line-up info as soon as we have it.

Rock Werchter 2025

3-6 July 2025, Festivalpark Werchter, Werchter, Belgium

Four days, four stages. Rock Werchter is one of Belgium’s largest festivals and draws people in from all European countries.

We can see why: in 2024 we saw Lenny Kravitz, Måneskin, Dropkick Murphys, Foo Fighters, Bad Omens, Royal Blood, The Gaslight Anthem and more, all in one weekend. Fever dream, much?