Damnation

About Damnation Festival

At Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester, England, Damnation Festival 2026 runs as a two-day indoor extreme metal festival. The 2026 edition is set for 7–8 November 2026.

The official site describes Damnation as Europe’s largest indoor extreme music festival. It began at Jilly’s Rockworld in Manchester in 2005, sold out a 1,000-capacity venue for its second edition in 2006, then ran in Leeds from 2007 to 2021 before moving back to Manchester’s BEC Arena for 2022. BEC Arena’s live-music setup runs up to 4,500.

Lineup and Programme

Announced acts include Cult Of Luna and Satyricon. The bill sits across extreme metal, death metal, black metal and sludge metal, with doom metal also in the frame. Grindcore, hardcore and metalcore are part of the programme.

The 2026 site uses three stages. Live performances run across all three, and the arena also has a food-vendor area and merch tent, plus a chill-out space.

Who Is It For?

The stated audience is primarily older teens and adults who follow extreme metal. Entry is 14+, and ages 14–17 must attend with an adult aged 18 or over. It is not aimed at young children.

The Venue and Site

BEC Arena sits on Longbridge Rd in Trafford Park, Stretford, around 3 miles from Manchester city centre. Damnation uses an indoor two-day format at Bowlers Exhibition Centre.

All three stages have accessible viewing platforms, with accessible toilets, additional seating in accessible viewing areas and lift access to the upstairs Cantina bar. Free Wi‑Fi is available at the venue.

Travel Information

Bowlers Exhibition Centre is on Longbridge Rd in Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester, around 3 miles from the city centre.

• Rail: Manchester Piccadilly is the nearest main rail station.
• Road: Access is via Longbridge Rd, with M60 motorway access at Junction 9.
• Parking: There is no attendee parking on site. The venue car park is used for food vendors, the merch tent, chill-out space, crew and artists.
• Nearby parking: Street parking is available nearby, and the Metrolink Park & Ride is about a 5-minute walk away.