[category]
[title]
Everything you need to know about the UK’s biggest celebration of rock and metal music

The general public have Glastonbury. Ravers have Creamfields. Metalheads have Download.
Festival season is well underway in the UK, and this week the biggest weekend in rock and metal is returning to the fields of Donington Park in Leicestershire. Twenty one years since its inception in 2003, Download is bigger and better than ever, with a good mix of nostalgic classics and up-and-comers.
RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in the UK.
Going to a festival can be pretty hectic, so we’ve gathered together everything you could possibly need to know about this year’s Download festival, including when and where it is, the exact lineup (and stage splits), what you’re allowed to bring, and even the weather forecast. Here’s your complete guide to Download Festival 2024.
The countdown is almost over – gates are already open! The music will begin on Friday (June 14) and continue until Sunday (June 16).
The festival will once again be held in Donington Park, Leicestershire. The nearest cities are Derby and Nottingham, both of which are a good half-hour drive away. Because of that, Download can be pretty tricky to get to.
Parking is now sold out, so if you haven’t already booked that it is worth looking into alternative methods of transport. If you are planning to drive, Download’s website has loads of info about the best routes to take and live updates on nearby roads.
The festival’s official travel partner is Big Green Coach, and you can book your bus tickets here. If you're travelling another way, such as train or drop-off, check here for advice on the best way to get to the site.
This year, Queens of the Stone Age will headline the Apex stage on Friday. Pop-punk icons Fall Out Boy will carry the baton on Saturday, and Avenged Sevenfold will close out the event on Sunday. It’s going to be huge.
There are loads of really exciting names in the complete lineup for the festival, including Royal Blood, Wheatus, Pantera, Busted, and even Limp Bizkit. Here’s the complete lineup, including times and which stage each act will be on.
You can also keep track of who’s playing where on the Download app, which you can get on both the Google Play store and the Apple App store.
Sadly, tickets for Download are completely sold out. That includes camping, non-camping, weekend, and single day tickets. Your best bet is just asking around and hoping a friend of a friend has one available. Maybe next year.
Some things, like flag poles and tin can openers, are allowed into the campsite but not the actual festival ground. Generally you can use your common sense and assume that anything that could be used as a weapon, including aerosol cans and glass bottles, isn’t allowed at all, but if you’re unsure about something specific you can check exactly what is and isn’t allowed here.
It could be worse. That’s probably not what you want to hear, we know, but we don’t want to get your hopes up. It looks like there will be rainy spells throughout the weekend, broken up by some cloudy or even sunny moments. It isn’t set to be torrential though! Silver linings. There will be highs of 17-18 degrees, and lows of 9 degrees, so definitely bring a jacket.
Keep up to date with the latest weather forecasts here.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country
Discover Time Out original video