Iron Maiden Announce Massive Festival Event for 50th Anniversary Celebration

There will be just one Iron Maiden performance in the U.K. in 2026 and it will come at the band's own staged festival. Eddfest is being billed as a "once in a lifetime celebration of all things Iron Maiden" and it comes just as the band are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

When and Where Will Eddfest Be Held?

Iron Maiden will take over the Knebworth Park grounds in Knebworth, England on July 10 and 11 with the goal of "turning it into as much of a ‘Maiden World’ as we can for all our fans to enjoy!"

What Will You Find at Eddfest?

Fans will be able to explore the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience, a walk-through display of stage props and relics, inspired by Sunday Times Bestseller book Infinite Dreams. This is an unprecedented and completely unique opportunity to view Maiden relics up close and personal.

Fans will also encounter Maidenville, where you will find the greatest Eddie’s Dive Bar yet, a second stage for music and entertainment, the Unfair Funfair featuring rides and Eddie-themed Funfair Games, plus Eddie’s Emporium and much more to explore throughout the site.

Friday night campers will be able to gain early access to the site and experiences, including first access to the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience.

There will also be a whole evening of entertainment planned on the Maidenville stage featuring a mix of special acts with a connection to Maiden. This is all topped off with the previously announced main stage on the Saturday, featuring an exceptional supporting lineup, ahead of Iron Maiden’s show-stopping RUN FOR YOUR LIVES performance.

What Other Bands Will Be Playing Eddfest?

The Hu, The Darkness, Airbourne and The Almighty will all play supporting sets over the course of the two days. It's also been revealed that Stray, Maiden United, Airforce, Tony Moore's Awake and Hair Metal Glamageddon will all play on the Maidenville Second Stage as part of the Friday night festivities.

What Was Said About Putting on Eddfest?

Iron Maiden's manager Rod Smallwood commented, "After the monumental shows in the UK last year, we knew that if we were going to play the UK in 2026 it had to be very different. So we chose Knebworth Park as it gives us the space required – which is just not available in stadiums – to put together something groundbreaking for our fans by creating a Maiden World for them. We are excited to now reveal the details of this one-off event to celebrate the band’s 50 year career, which we are now calling EDDFEST, because, as everyone knows, Eddie is the true star of the show!"

READ MORE: Every Iron Maiden Album Ranked

He added, "We also know Maiden fans are basically a huge gang and we want to give them a weekend to remember at Knebworth. For the last couple of tours we have been arranging the Eddie Dive Bars for our fans, both pre- and post-show. Some of these took over the entire centres of towns with thousands of fans gathered there enjoying the fun, the music and each other’s company. So EDDFEST is going to expand on that concept in a huge variety of ways, to create a truly unmissable Maiden World over the whole weekend!"

"There will be a whole host of great music, great beer (of course!), lots of exciting and varied fun things to do, great souvenirs and merch, some unique and fantastic photo opportunities to create unbeatable Maiden memories, and of course, the true camaraderie that comes from being a Maiden fan.”

How Do I Get Tickets?

Tickets for Eddfest are available via ironmaiden.knebworth.com, myticket.co.uk, ticketmaster.co.uk and of course, ironmaiden.com  For further details, to purchase tickets and to stay updated on all things to do with Iron Maiden at Knebworth including FAQs & timings make sure you check out the dedicated site: ironmaiden.knebworth.com

See what other rock and metal festivals and cruises are set for 2026 in the guide below.