Iron Maiden has long been one of the most important artists working in the field of heavy metal. They helped forge the subgenre's sound while creating some of the best albums of rock over the last five decades. They aren't quite done yet, either.
Before we go too much further, though, let's talk about the elephant in the room. Iron Maiden belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if the Hall has any integrity at all. That is still in question as the museum has tended to focus more on pop artists lately, and some other less worthy bands than Maiden (here is looking at you, Foreigner).
But this is about celebrating Iron Maiden's 50th anniversary. Fans want to do that, and so does the band. To do so, the group is holding an event called EddFest, which will take place on July 10 and 11 in Knebworth, England. The other bands involved are pretty good, too.
Iron Maiden announces EddFest celebrating 50 years of the band
The list includes The Hu, the Darkness, Airbourne, and the Almighty. Iron Maiden will play on the second day of the festival. While there, you can also check out a walkthrough museum that will focus on Maiden's long career, and something called Maidenville. That will be home to a dive bar and some fairground games and rides.
Tickets are currently on sale. You can find more information at Iron Maiden's official website. EddFest won't be your only chance to see the band, however. If you live in the Western Hemisphere, a bunch of tour dates are upcoming.
Iron Maiden 2026 North American tour dates:
- Aug. 29 - Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
- Aug. 30 - Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *
- Sept. 3 - Montréal, QC @ Parc Jean-Drapeau *^
- Sept. 5 - Harrison, NJ @ Sports Illustrated Stadium *^
- Sept. 9 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden *
- Sept. 11 - Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live *
- Sept. 12 - Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion *
- Sept. 15 - Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium *
- Sept. 17 - Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life Festival
- Sept. 19 - Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater *
- Sept. 22 - Chicago, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre *
- Sept. 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium *^
- Sept. 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ BMO Stadium *^
- Sept. 29 - San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome *^
- Oct. 2 - Mexico City, MX @ Estadio GNP Seguros (special guests TBA)
* - Joined by Megadeth
^ - Joined by Anthrax