List of punk rock festivals


The following is an incomplete list of punk rock music festivals. This list may have some overlap with list of rock festivals and list of heavy metal festivals. Punk is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. By 1976 the first festivals were being organized.

Festivals

Name


NameYearCountryLocationNotes
European Punk Rock Festival1976Mont de MarsanIn August 1976, the self-described "First European Punk Rock Festival" was held in Mont de Marsan in the southwest of France. Eddie and the Hot Rods, a London pub rock group, headlined. The Sex Pistols, originally scheduled to play, were dropped by the organizers who said the band had gone "too far" in demanding top billing and certain amenities; The Clash backed out in solidarity. The only band from the new punk movement to appear was The Damned. Organised by Zermati, took place at Mont-de-Marsan on 21 August 1976, and featured French bands Bijou, Il Biaritz and Shakin’ Street, as well as The Damned.
100 Club Punk Festival1976Oxford Street, LondonA two-day event held at the 100 Club—a typically jazz-oriented venue in Oxford Street, London, England—on 20 and 21 September 1976. The gig showcased eight punk rock bands, most of which were unsigned. The bands in attendance were each associated with the evolving punk rock music scene and movement of the United Kingdom. The concert marked a watershed for the movement, as punk began to move from the underground and emerge into the mainstream music scene.
Deeply Vale Festivals1976–1979EnglandThe Deeply Vale Festivals were unique free festivals held near Bury in northwest England in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. They are regarded as significant events that united punk music into the festival scene.
Rock Against Racism1976–United Kingdom
Rock Against Sexism1978–United Kingdom
Heatwave1980CanadaPromoted as the Punk Woodstock
International Pop Underground Convention1991Olympia, WashingtonPunk and indie festival associated with the start of riot grrrl
Ieperfest1993–presentYpresHardcore punk festival
Yoyo A Go Go1994–2001Olympia, WashingtonHeld in 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2001
Vans Warped Tour1995–2019United StatesThe tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are constructed prior to and for the duration of the event. The tour began as a showcase for alternative and punk rock music, and in more recent years featured very diverse genres. It is the longest running touring music festival in North America.
Antifest1995–presentSvojšice
Groezrock1992–presentMeerhout
Groezrock is an annual music festival that takes place in Meerhout, Belgium. It started out as a small rock and pop festival with one stage and a few hundred people attending, but has evolved into a large punk rock/hardcore punk festival, with attendances now exceeding 30,000.
Rebellion Festival1996–presentBlackpoolMain hub of the UK scene in the 21st century. 300 bands over four days in August at the Blackpool Winter Gardens. Formerly Holidays in the Sun and the Wasted Festival. Was held in nearby Morecambe some years during first decade. Overseas spinoff festivals also held.
Deconstruction Tour1999–presentEuropeTouring festival featuring punk rock bands and skating
Fluff Fest2000–presentRokycanyIndependent vegan hardcore punk festival, significant for European DIY punk
The Fest2002–presentGainesville, Florida
PunkFest @ 'The Cockpit', Leeds2002, 2004 and 2005Leeds, West Yorks, UKThree of a set of similar gigs and large one-day shows that took place between 2000 and 2006. The lengthy article - 'The Final Chapter' featured on the linked website is a summary of the experience of the promoter of these shows and contains a number of previously unavailable archive materials
Drop Dead Festival2003–2012United States, EuropeAn electro, post-punk, synthpunk, and experimental multi-day festival and the largest DIY festival for "art-damaged" music
Common Ground Festival2004–presentForest of Dean, EnglandOriginally known as Dirty Weekend Festival, Common Ground is a not-for-profit punk rock fundraiser featuring mostly independent anarcho-punk and hardcore punk bands and supporting political activism.
Mighty Sounds2005–presentTáborFocused on punk rock and hardcore punk but also ska and reggae
Nice 'N Sleazy2004–presentMorecambeBegan as offshoot for Rebellion - campsite with own unofficial stage. Became separate festival in its own right when Wasted reverted to Blackpool in 2006
Riot Fest2005–currentChicago
Persistence Tour2005–presentEuropeHardcore punk tour
Insubordination Fest2006–2013Maryland
Estonian Punk Song Festival2008–presentEstonia
Another Winter Of Discontent 2010–2017Tufnell Park/DerbyMain event held at Boston Arms, secondary room of Tuffnell Park Dome - Northern offshoot AWOD North held in Derby.
Undercover Festival2012–2020Bilston/Brighton/Margate/Tufnell Park/Woking
Break the Ice2012–2014MelbourneThis event emerged from a 2012 show by Trapped Under Ice into a 2-day hardcore punk festival held in 2013 and 2014
Pop Punk Pile-Up2018SelbyNew alternative punk rock festival launching in the UK in 2018 featuring acts such as Mallory Knox, The Bottom Line, Room 94 and The King Blues as well as many upcoming acts.
2011--presentMontrealThree-day festival in mid-May, taking place in several venues in downtown Montreal.

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