A monumental tribute to the late Prince of Darkness is coming to France this summer. Organizers of Hellfest—one of Europe’s premier open-air heavy metal festivals held in Clisson—are preparing to unveil a massive, six-meter-tall statue of Ozzy Osbourne during the event, which runs from June 18 to June 21.
The exciting news was first shared by Ozzy Osbourne‘s widow and longtime manager, Sharon Osbourne, during the MIDEM 2026 conference in Cannes on February 6. While showing off the first photo of the towering sculpture that will greet fans near the festival entrance, she expressed her deep gratitude to the organizers.
“Oh, there he is. Look at him, a rock god. That is going to debut at Hellfest, and that is June 18th. And the whole family will be there to see it. And it’s such a great tribute. It’s amazing. So, I can only thank [Hellfest director] Ben [Barbaud]. Just bless you. It’s an amazing piece of art.”
This is not the first time Hellfest has honored a fallen metal legend with a colossal monument. In 2022, the festival debuted a new statue of iconic Motörhead frontman Ian Fraser “Lemmy” Kilmister. Created by French sculptor Caroline Brisset, the steel artwork replaced an older plaster version that had begun to crumble over the years.
The heavy music world suffered a massive loss when Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, 2025, following a heart attack. An intimate, private funeral was held on his 250-acre Buckinghamshire estate on July 31, 2025. The service was attended by 110 close friends and family members, including his Black Sabbath bandmates and peers like Robert Trujillo of Metallica, Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson, and Corey Taylor of Slipknot. The day before the private ceremony, thousands of devoted fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay their respects alongside Sharon Osbourne and her children, Aimée, Kelly, and Jack.
Thankfully, fans were treated to one final, unforgettable performance before his passing. Eight months ago, Ozzy Osbourne returned to his hometown of Birmingham for the “Back To The Beginning” charity concert. The historic night saw him play a solo set featuring his backing band—Zakk Wylde, Mike Inez, Adam Wakeman, and Tommy Clufetos—delivering classics like “I Don’t Know“, “Mr. Crowley“, “Su*cide Solution“, and “Crazy Train” from his 1980 debut Blizzard Of Ozz, as well as the 1991 hit ballad “Mama, I’m Coming Home” from No More Tears.
The evening culminated in a deeply emotional reunion, as original Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward joined him on stage to close out the night with the legendary anthems “War Pigs“, “Iron Man“, “N.I.B.“, and “Paranoid“.
