Best Rock & Metal Festivals in the Netherlands in 2026
ConcertBuddy • June 5, 2026
13 minutes
The Netherlands hosts some of Europe's finest rock, metal, doom, and punk festivals. In 2026, Roadburn in Tilburg gathers Boris, Cult of Luna, and 135 more for its world-class stoner/doom programme; South of Heaven in Maastricht headlines Megadeth, Anthrax, and Black Label Society; Pitfest in Emmen celebrates its 10th anniversary with Autopsy, Venom, and Voivod; Into The Grave brings Anthrax and Mastodon to a Leeuwarden churchyard; Jera On Air in Ysselsteyn headlines Architects, The Offspring, and Papa Roach; Zwarte Cross features Within Temptation and Dropkick Murphys; Dynamo Metal Fest returns to Eindhoven with Godsmack and Helloween; and Pinkpop headlines Foo Fighters and The Cure.
Find fellow fans heading to the same festival here.
Roadburn Festival 2026 — 013, Tilburg, April 16–19
Roadburn Festival 2026 runs April 16–19 at the iconic 013 venue and surrounding spaces in Tilburg — Europe's premier gathering for stoner rock, doom metal, post-metal, and experimental heavy music, with 137 artists confirmed across multiple stages. Top confirmed acts include Boris, Cult of Luna, Inter Arma, Oathbreaker, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, SLIFT, Kowloon Walled City, Dälek, Portrayal Of Guilt, Primitive Man, Agriculture, Acid Mothers Temple, Maruja, Nothing, and K-X-P. Roadburn is curated rather than commercial — its bespoke commissions, world premieres, and genre-defying programming make it unlike any other festival in the world.
Official website →Pitfest 2026 — Emmen, June 4–6 (10th Anniversary)
Pitfest 2026 celebrates its 10th anniversary June 4–6 at Rugbyclub Emmen in Drenthe — the Netherlands' most dedicated death metal, black metal, and hardcore punk festival. The anniversary lineup is exceptional: Autopsy, Six Feet Under, Venom, Dark Funeral, Voivod, Gorilla Biscuits, Judge, Cro-Mags, Artillery, Hellripper, Martyrdöd, Acidez, Gama Bomb, Pro-Pain, Neuk!, Pizza Death, Gravekvlt, Baest, and Jungle Rot. Pitfest is volunteer-run and not-for-profit — a grassroots celebration of the underground.
Official website →South of Heaven Open Air 2026 — Muziekgieterij, Maastricht, June 5–7
South of Heaven Open Air 2026 runs June 5–7 at the Muziekgieterij in Maastricht, Limburg — and the lineup for the 2026 edition is staggering in its quality. Confirmed acts include Megadeth, Sepultura, Anthrax, Alestorm, Black Label Society, Corrosion Of Conformity, Dismember, Flotsam & Jetsam, Septicflesh, and Cavalera Conspiracy. Early bird tickets are available at €130 including service fees. South of Heaven is one of the Netherlands' most metal-focused multi-day events, delivering a world-class lineup in the historic city of Maastricht.
Official website →Into The Grave 2026 — Oldehoofsterkerkhof, Leeuwarden, June 12–14
Into The Grave 2026 runs June 12–14 at the atmospheric Oldehoofsterkerkhof — a historic churchyard in the heart of Leeuwarden, Friesland — making it one of Europe's most uniquely situated metal festivals. The 2026 headliners are Anthrax, Mastodon, and The Gathering. The full lineup of 35 confirmed acts spans classic and modern metal: 1914, Atmoran, Autumn, Carach Angren, Conan, Crimson Glory, Doodseskader, Dormant Ordeal, Fimbul Winter, Forbidden, Gnome, Graceless, Inhuman Nature, Insanity Alert, Insomnium, Lacuna Coil, Opia, Paleface Swiss, Picture, Predatory Void, Queensrÿche, Raised by Owls, Revnoir, Rivers of Nihil, Self Deception, Severe Torture, State Power, The Browning, The Narrator, Vandenberg, Warfield, and Wings of Steel.
Official website →Pinkpop 2026 — Megaland, Landgraaf, June 19–21
Pinkpop 2026 runs June 19–21 at the Megaland site in Landgraaf, Limburg — the Netherlands' oldest and most iconic annual music festival, now in its 56th edition. The three headliners are The Cure, Foo Fighters, and Twenty One Pilots, with a broader lineup of 63 acts that includes rock and alternative names such as Editors, YUNGBLUD, Franz Ferdinand, IDLES, The Pretty Reckless, White Lies, and Wet Leg. While Pinkpop spans multiple genres, its rock contingent makes it unmissable for fans of alternative and indie rock.
Official website →Jera On Air 2026 — Ysselsteyn, June 25–27
Jera On Air 2026 — the 32nd edition of the Netherlands' most beloved punk and metalcore festival — runs June 25–27 at the outdoor site in Ysselsteyn, between Eindhoven and Venlo. The three nightly headliners are Architects (Thursday June 25), The Offspring (Friday June 26), and Papa Roach (Saturday June 27). The supporting cast is exceptional: Thursday features Trivium, Alexisonfire, Set It Off, Decapitated, and Boundaries; Friday adds A Day to Remember, Hollywood Undead, Alkaline Trio, Annisokay, TX2, and ALLT; Saturday brings All Time Low, Viagra Boys, Imminence, La Dispute, Catch Your Breath, and Rain City Drive. Across additional stages: Rise Against, Ice Nine Kills, Hatebreed, Pennywise, Suicidal Tendencies, Turbonegro, We Came As Romans, Madball, Converge, Basement, The Ataris, The Menzingers, and Bury Tomorrow are among the many confirmed acts.
Official website →Zwarte Cross 2026 — Lichtenvoorde, July 16–19
Zwarte Cross 2026 runs July 16–19 in Lichtenvoorde, Gelderland — the Netherlands' largest paid festival by attendance, combining motocross racing with a massive music programme of 135+ artists across multiple stages. Rock and metal fans will find Within Temptation (Thursday opening act) and Dropkick Murphys among the confirmed bill. The festival spans rock, pop, metal, reggae, and EDM — a uniquely Dutch celebration of music, motorsport, and community. Over 200,000 visitors attend across the four days.
Official website →Dynamo Metal Fest 2026 — IJssportcentrum, Eindhoven, August 14–16
Dynamo Metal Fest 2026 runs August 14–16 at the IJssportcentrum in Eindhoven — the city that once hosted the legendary Dynamo Open Air festivals of the 1990s and early 2000s. The 2026 edition features 32 confirmed acts with four headline slots: Godsmack, Helloween, Cradle of Filth, and Slaughter to Prevail. The full lineup includes In Flames, Lamb of God, 200 Stab Wounds, Amorphis, Bleed From Within, Castle Rat, Cwfen, Death Angel, Destruction, Employed to Serve, Filth, Fit for an Autopsy, Hyro the Hero, Insanity Alert, Kittie, Lowen, Necrot, Overkill, Primus, Revocation, Ronker, Sanguisugabogg, Self Deception, Soulfly, Tailgunner, Testament, The Cost, Thy Art Is Murder, and Urne.
Official website →Find a Concert Buddy for Your Dutch Festival
Planning to attend Roadburn, Pitfest, South of Heaven, Into The Grave, Pinkpop, Jera On Air, Zwarte Cross, or Dynamo Metal Fest in the Netherlands in 2026 but don't have a companion? ConcertBuddy connects you with fellow fans heading to the same events — whether you need a travel partner for Boris at Roadburn in Tilburg, someone for Megadeth at South of Heaven in Maastricht, a punk companion for Pitfest in Emmen, or a metal friend for Godsmack and Helloween at Dynamo. Don't let the lack of a concert buddy keep you from the best live music the Netherlands has to offer in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is headlining Dynamo Metal Fest 2026?
Dynamo Metal Fest 2026 is headlined by Godsmack, Helloween, Cradle of Filth, and Slaughter to Prevail, running August 14–16 at the IJssportcentrum in Eindhoven. The full 32-act lineup also includes In Flames, Lamb of God, Amorphis, Death Angel, Overkill, Testament, Soulfly, Fit for an Autopsy, Revocation, and Thy Art Is Murder.
When is Jera On Air 2026?
Jera On Air 2026 takes place June 25–27 at the outdoor site in Ysselsteyn (between Eindhoven and Venlo), in its 32nd edition. Headliners are Architects (Thursday), The Offspring (Friday), and Papa Roach (Saturday), with a lineup that also includes Trivium, Alexisonfire, A Day to Remember, Rise Against, Ice Nine Kills, Hatebreed, Pennywise, and many more.
What is the biggest metal festival in the Netherlands?
The largest dedicated metal festival in the Netherlands in 2026 is Dynamo Metal Fest in Eindhoven (August 14–16), headlined by Godsmack, Helloween, Cradle of Filth, and Slaughter to Prevail with 32 confirmed acts. For punk and hardcore, Jera On Air in Ysselsteyn (June 25–27) — with Architects, The Offspring, and Papa Roach headlining — is the country's most important punk, hardcore, and metalcore festival.
The Netherlands' 2026 Rock and Metal Festival Season Is Not to Be Missed
From Into The Grave's atmospheric metal gathering in a Leeuwarden churchyard — Anthrax, Mastodon, and Queensrÿche — to Jera On Air's tri-headliner punk assault in Ysselsteyn with Architects, The Offspring, and Papa Roach, from Dynamo Metal Fest's return to Eindhoven with Godsmack, Helloween, and Cradle of Filth, to Pinkpop's iconic fields in Landgraaf with Foo Fighters and The Cure, the Netherlands in 2026 delivers a rock and metal calendar that is among the finest in Europe. Use ConcertBuddy to find fellow fans heading to the same festivals — and make every show one to remember.