Iron Maiden has expanded the lineup for their upcoming 50th-anniversary festival, EddFest. Former lead vocalist Blaze Bayley, who fronted the group from 1994 to 1999, has been announced as the Friday night headliner for the Maidenville stage at the Knebworth event.
“I’m so excited to be invited to headline Friday night at EddFest, celebrating 50 years of Iron Maiden,” Blaze Bayley stated. “I am so proud of my two albums with the band and I’m really looking forward to playing some of the songs that we recorded together. Can’t wait to see you all at the hallowed grounds of Knebworth!”
The performance will feature material from his tenure with the group, specifically highlighting the studio albums The X Factor and Virtual XI.
The Friday night Maidenville stage was personally curated by Iron Maiden founder and bassist Steve Harris to showcase different eras of his musical history. In addition to Blaze Bayley, the Friday lineup will also include a performance by Gypsy’s Kiss. Formed in 1974 by Steve Harris and vocalist and guitarist David Smith, the group was the first band Steve Harris played in before forming Iron Maiden the following year.
Discussing the new additions to the festival, Steve Harris provided the following statement regarding the event’s historical significance:
“Having the opportunity to put together our very own festival at Knebworth, and celebrate 50 years of Iron Maiden, has given me a chance to bring together friends past and present and create a really special weekend for the fans. I’m very pleased that Blaze is able to join us and perform some of the songs we wrote and recorded in the 90s. He has been a big part of Iron Maiden’s career and I know the fans will be really excited to see him on stage at EddFest. It’s also great to have Gypsy’s Kiss playing with us at Knebworth too. They were a big part of my musical heritage and it’s really exciting to have them play at the Maidenville stage.”
Inside Eddfest fans will be able to explore the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience, a walk-through display of stage props and relics, inspired by Sunday Times Bestseller book Infinite Dreams. This is an unprecedented and completely unique opportunity to view Maiden relics up close and personal.
Fans will also encounter Maidenville, where you will find the greatest Eddie’s Dive Bar yet, a second stage for music and entertainment, the Unfair Funfair featuring rides and Eddie-themed Funfair Games, plus Eddie’s Emporium and much more to explore throughout the site.
Friday night campers will be able to gain early access to the site and experiences, including first access to the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience. There will also be a whole evening of entertainment planned on the Maidenville stage featuring a mix of special acts with a connection to Maiden. This is all topped off with the previously announced main stage on the Saturday, featuring an exceptional supporting line-up, ahead of Iron Maiden’s show-stopping Run For Your Lives performance.
Band’s manager Rod Smallwood explained: “After the monumental shows in the UK last year, we knew that if we were going to play the UK in 2026 it had to be very different. So we chose Knebworth Park as it gives us the space required – which is just not available in stadiums – to put together something groundbreaking for our fans by creating a Maiden World for them. 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!”
“We also know Maiden fans are basically a huge gang and we want to give them a weekend to remember at Knebworth. For the last couple of tours we have been arranging the Eddie Dive Bars for our fans, both pre- and post-show. Some of these took over the entire centres of towns with thousands of fans gathered there enjoying the fun, the music and each other’s company. So Eddfest is going to expand on that concept in a huge variety of ways, to create a truly unmissable Maiden World over the whole weekend!”
“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.”
Kilimanjaro promoters Stuart Galbraith and Alan Day, the creators of Sonisphere, added: “Maiden have a different view on how they want to do things for their fans than most bands. We previously worked with them at Sonisphere and when they explained what they wanted to do for this show we were hooked. It will be a unique event. A celebration of the Eddie-verse if you will: a curated Friday afternoon, night and all day Saturday, finishing with the last UK show Maiden will play until at least 2028!
“Creating something like that, which will include a once-in-a-lifetime Infinite Dreams museum experience, featuring a wide range of rarely-seen memorabilia from throughout their history, a Maiden-themed fun fair, the biggest Eddie’s Dive Bar ever with some extra special additions and surprises, plus the ability to camp, glamp or park a motorhome on site for the Friday and Saturday night show in a specially created ‘village’ space with Maiden Alumni, friends and our perfect partners, Planet Rock – well it was a chance not to be missed!”
The Eddfest Festival starts from 2pm on Friday with camping included for both nights. Various parts of the Maidenville site will be open to weekend campers throughout Friday afternoon and into the early hours of Saturday morning, including the Infinite Dreams Museum Experience.
Friday Night at Eddfest is all about fun before the big day. The campsite comes alive with direct access to the heart of Maidenville and the entertainment is a blend of bands and artists with connections to Maiden – some obscure, some as clear as daylight but they all have something in common and deserve to be a part of the opening night celebration.
Saturday sees the opening of the Main Arena, which includes Eddie’s Extended Emporium, the Trooper VIP area and a range of interactive experiences. These will act as hors d’oeuvres for the curated Main Stage festival live bill, starting with back, better than ever British rockers The Almighty.
Australia’s festival-ready Airbourne follow, before the thrilling Mongolian metal of The Hu rings out across Knebworth’s hallowed park. As we move into the evening The Darkness will take to the stage for a barnstorming set before Iron Maiden deliver an historic performance – the ultimate communal experience between the band and their fans set in the heart of this one-off Maiden World.
Eddfest is going to be a truly exceptional weekend for each and every Maiden fan in attendance – an unforgettable chance to be part of a fully themed Festival experience, celebrating Iron Maiden’s spectacular fifty year career… and the last chance to see them in the UK until at least 2028.
For further details, to purchase tickets and to stay updated on all things to do with Iron Maiden at Knebworth including FAQs & timings make sure you check out the dedicated site: ironmaiden.knebworth.com.
Camping tickets are separate to the event tickets and available to purchase in parallel.
