The UK’s Download festival might only have come to a close last night, but that hasn’t stopped organisers from revealing that next year’s Donington bash will be bigger than ever before.
That’s because it’s been revealed that the long-running rock and metal festival is moving from its standard three-day format to four days of musical mayhem.
Festival bosses explain: “In 2023, the Download festival will return to celebrate its 20th anniversary and announces today that for the first time, an extra day of music will be added to bring four massive days of live music and the biggest ever edition.”
While artists have still to be announced – let’s give organisers a few days off to recover shall we? – we now know it’ll run from Thursday, June 8 to Sunday, June 11, 2023. And what’s more, early bird tickets are now on sale through the official Download website (opens in new tab).
This year’s Download festival was headlined by Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro with around 85,000 people descending on the famous Donington site.
In our review of Iron Maiden's Download set, Metal Hammer said: "Thirty-four years since they first headlined (and just shy of 20 since their appearance at the inaugural Download event), Iron Maiden remain one of Donington’s most beloved acts, their associations with the festival running so deep they are as synonymous with the site as Led Zeppelin and Knebworth or Hendrix and Woodstock.
"If Slipknot are the 'Download Festival band', Iron Maiden are the lords of the land, claiming dominion over the site in ways few bands can – or possibly ever will. Hail heavy metal. Hail Iron Maiden."
Looking to attend more festivals and concerts this year and beyond? Then check out our guide to the best concert ticket sites, where we share our pick of the finest online ticketing agencies.
