Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne's manager and widow, has confirmed the return of Ozzfest for 2027.
The festival will launch with a two-day event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom—the same venue where Ozzy performed during his final 'Back To The Beginning' concert on July 5, 2025.
"It's going to be at Villa Park again," Osbourne said, adding that whether the event will span two nights remains to be determined by fans.
Following the UK leg, Ozzfest will travel to North America for two days, with exact locations to be determined based on fan input and logistical feasibility.
Osbourne emphasized that the festival will prioritize new talent, stating, "We really started metal festivals in this country.
It was [replicated but] never done with the spirit of what ours was, because ours was a place for new talent.
It was like summer camp for kids." Though Ozzfest will not be a traveling festival in 2027, Osbourne revealed tentative plans to bring it back on the road in 2028 and beyond, should demand justify such a move.
She also expressed interest in expanding the festival’s genre diversity, noting, "I'd like to mix up the genres." Osbourne reiterated that Ozzfest was never about hierarchy or competition, calling it "a summer camp" where bands didn't jockey for position.
She hinted at a potential appearance by JUDAS PRIEST, saying, "I want to see Rob Halford there." The festival, which began 30 years ago as the first national music festival dedicated to hard rock, last took place in the U.S.
in 2007.
After a one-off event in 2008 and a brief run in 2010, Ozzfest was suspended until 2017, when it merged with SLIPKNOT's Knotfest for a two-day event.
The 2017 show drew over 17,000 attendees, with Ozzy Osbourne as headliner and Rob Zombie closing out the next day's Knotfest bill.
A special one-night-only New Year's Eve Ozzfest in 2018 at The Forum in Los Angeles drew 12,465 fans and generated $1.2 million in ticket sales.
Osbourne previously discussed the festival’s hiatus in 2023, citing that managers’ demands for excessive fees made it "not cost effective." She recalled a past incident in which a band—identified as Glenn Danzig—demanded $10,000 extra, leading her to refuse and later say, "They went on and played, and I went, 'Fuck you.
You signed a contract, your agent agreed it, and you're just gouging.'" The 2027 revival marks a return to the festival’s original spirit, with Osbourne stressing that the event remains a vital platform for emerging acts, especially those facing the daunting transition from small venues to massive festival stages.
"It's very hard for acts who are not known to suddenly go and be in front of 50,000 people on a main stage," she said.
"That's what it's all about — breaking new bands." Osbourne also noted that while newer U.S.
rock festivals have emerged, they are often just variations of Ozzfest, saying, "It's the same bands just going around and around and around.
But that's what's so good, because we started something, people have taken it, and it's still great for the genre." A full itinerary for the 2027 Ozzfest will be released following further discussions with Live Nation and participating acts."