Iron Maiden share full details of “once-in-a-lifetime” Knebworth 2026 EddFest weekend

The huge headline gig will features support from The Darkness, The Hu and others The post Iron Maiden share full details of “once-in-a-lifetime” Knebworth 2026 EddFest weekend appeared first on NME. NewsMusic News Iron Maiden share full details of “once-in-a-lifetime” Knebworth 2026 EddFest weekend The huge headline gig will features support from The Darkness, The Hu and others By Laura Molloy 17th February 2026 Iron Maiden. CREDIT: John McMurtrie Iron Maiden have shared the full details of their upcoming Knebworth headline show this summer, which features support from The Darkness, The Hu and others. READ MORE: Iron Maiden – ‘Senjutsu’ review: an imaginative instant classic Last year, the band shared details of a European stadium headline tour for 2026 an extension of their two-year, 50th anniversary ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour. Advertisement The colossal string of dates included a major show at Knebworth on Saturday 11 July, with a hand-picked set of opening acts made up of The Darkness, The Hu, Airbourne and The Almighty. The “weekend event”, dubbed ‘EddFest’ will include the biggest Eddie’s Dive Bar ever, as well as Maiden-themed food and other specialised stalls, with proceedings kicking off on Friday 10 July for fans with camping tickets. You can find any remaining tickets here. Now, the band have unveiled further details about the weekend, which is described as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience what constitutes Iron Maiden’s idea of a fun-filled 48 hours of entertainment, themed areas and bars, experiences, live music and more.” Fans will have access to the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience, a walk-through display of stage props and relics, inspired by their 2025 career-spanning book Infinite Dreams. There will also be a section dubbed Maidenville, with “the greatest Eddie’s Dive Bar yet” – the pop-up bar that has become a staple of their live shows. This will include a second stage for music, the Unfair Funfair with rides and “Eddie-themed” games, as well as Eddie’s Empourium. Recommended Iron Maiden EddFest poster. CREDIT: PRESS The Maidenville stage will also feature a specially curated line-up of acts with a connection to the band, with full sets from Stray, Maiden United, Airforce, Tony Moore’s Awake and Hair Metal Glamageddon. Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood has that Knebworth Park was chosen for the huge gig to allow them to “put together something groundbreaking for our fans by creating a Maiden World for the”. “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!” he added. Advertisement Smallwood went on to say: “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.” Iron Maiden Announce EddFest! – July 10th & 11th 2026, Knebworth – UK. This is not just a Maiden show – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience packed with live music, themed areas, immersive attractions, and much more to discover! 50 years of Iron Maiden… Curated by Eddie – This… pic.twitter.com/RH1oW50MAH — Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) February 17, 2026 The band have also celebrated 50 years together by lending their name to a new signature Fender guitar collection and teaming up with West Ham United for a football shirt. Last year, Iron Maiden shared a message with fans, urging them to “severely limit the use of their phone cameras out of respect for the band and their fellow fans” during their ‘Run For Your Lives’ shows. 2025’s shows were also the first with new touring drummer Simon Dawson, who was appointed following the touring retirement of long-term sticksman Nicko McBrain. McBrain announced he would be “taking a step back” from touring last year due to suffering a minor stroke in 2023, which left him partially paralysed on his right side from the shoulder down. 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