Bloodstock Reveal On Site Entertainment & Fancy Dress Themes
It’s only 11 weeks ‘til BLOODSTOCK!
Day tickets are running VERY low (only Friday left!), and weekend tickets have also already sold out, so act now if you've been putting off getting your ticket! Friday day tickets cost £92 (+ booking fees) - with 37 bands playing that day (not including additional acts in VIP), that's just £2.48 per band! Maths fans, headbangers who snapped up standard weekend tickets have access to 125 bands over the festival, working out at a mere £1.59 per band (£1.40 if you bought an early bird - definitely worth getting in quickly once 2026 tickets go on sale in August!). Buy tickets in the ticket store.
There are still more bands for 2025 to announce, but there’s plenty more to BLOODSTOCK than just bands, so here’s some info about some of the non-band entertainment you can look forward to over the festival. And did someone mention fancy dress?
First though, did you take advantage of the special 20% off discount code BOA20 with EMP to get yourself kitted out for BLOODSTOCK? Be quick! It’s only valid until tomorrow, 21st May - T&Cs apply
Still figuring out your outfits? Feeling creative? BLOODSTOCK wants to give you plenty of time to plan the fanciest of dress so without further ado, here’s the fun fancy dress themes for 2025’s event! Pick your favourite day or join in for all of it!
On Thursday, it’s all about pink. Not popstar P!nk, actual pink, Sylvia Lancaster’s favourite colour. Whether it’s an accessory or a full head-to-toe vision, pink up in support of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation and be sure to stop by their stand in the main arena over the festival.
Calling all gamers, Friday is your domain - BLOODSTOCK cordially invites Mario and Luigi, Lara Croft, Sonic, Link, Pikachu, Princess Zelda, Chun-Li, Master Chief, and all their gaming character friends.
Saturday brings a clash of titans as heroes meet villains! Batman, Wonder Woman, Cruella, Captain Marvel, Darth Vader… which side of the eternal epic showdown will you choose?
On Sunday, BLOODSTOCK goes back to the beginning…. of time that is, specifically the Mesozoic era. Yes, it’s the return of the dinosaurs, with Catton Park becoming Jurassic Park! It was just SO much fun last year, BLOODSTOCK thought you should get to do it all over again.
BLOODSTOCK’s official photographers will be roaming throughout the weekend looking for the best dressed to feature on social media!
Whether fancy dress is your thing or not, when the bands have wrapped for the evening, it doesn't mean it’s time for BLOODSTOCK to go to bed!! Late night entertainment kicks off straight away in both the Timothy Taylor New Blood and Sophie Lancaster tents ‘til the early hours.
On Thursday and Saturday night from 11pm - 2am, the Timothy Taylor New Blood tent hosts BLOODSTOCK’s brilliant silent disco (1000 headsets available), with 3 live channels from Little M, Rich Harris (Desertfest), and Lloyd playing club/dance bangers, rock & metal, or party cheese respectively (plus some additional guest DJs on Saturday too!). Just grab a headset and choose your vibe, or a bit of all three!
If you’ve never been to a silent disco, it's simple! Upon entry you're given a set of headphones with a channel selector for three live channels, and a personal volume control. Three DJs perform live on stage, mixing cuts of their respective types of music. You can actively choose, at any point, which channel to listen to, and thereby dance to, whilst in a totally "silent" (apart from all the amazing singing) tent. You'll possibly find dance offs to Michael Jackson vs Rammstein, Dolly Parton vs Deicide and Beyonce vs Bring Me The Horizon. Anything goes, and best of all, you choose!
Raise your horns! Friday’s New Blood fun from 11pm - 2am sees experienced DJ duo Dawn Debenham and Darren "Deadsoul" Smith return with a mix of folk, power, and pagan metal to fill your ears with sonic mead.
Over in the Sophie tent from 12am - 2am, on Thursday, DJ Pressplay mixes it up with an array of welcoming tunes from upcoming festival bands and other metal bangers, while Friday brings The Blood Rave with DJs Little M and Lloyd, offering up the biggest beats and the best drops inspired by the movie Blade. Expect anything from aggrotech and industrial to drum & bass and dance. The Sophie tent on Saturday is taken over by DJ Arockalypse and splendid guest DJs RAISED BY OWLS to give you 2 hours of curated metal, Ainsley Harriott, and Fred Durst, plus a reason to wear a Dying Fetus t-shirt (if you needed one). Sunday sees DJ Rich Harris closing down the festival in the only way he knows how, loudly, and with the sort of style many crave. Classic metal, rock, stoner and sing-a-longs to prep you for the journey home and pack in a few more great memories!
For the earlybirds starting their festival shenanigans on Wednesday, over in the Midgard campsite DJs Pressplay, Lloyd, Rich Harris, Jamie Haines, & Little M will be there to warm the campsite up with a selection of the weekend’s upcoming bands, classic metal cuts, and the odd curveball tune to get you in the BLOODSTOCK mood! There will be food stalls, a coffee unit, and a bar open in Midgard or Ironwood campsites - plus cinema fans will find two movies being shown in Midgard from 9pm that evening.
You’ll also be able to find the DJs periodically doing sets in Midgard across the weekend from 2pm - 4pm and 6pm - 8pm to include various sets of classic hip-hop, 80s and classic goth, modern metal, dance, reggae and whatever takes the DJ’s fancy on the day!
If you’ve forgotten anything, Fat Franks Camping Shop & Tom The Shop market have got you covered!
Late night campsite capers get going in Midgard from approximately 11pm, Thu - Sun, if you fancy trying out your skills on the inflatables, or perhaps you dare to be a challenger (or just a witness) for the official Bin Jousting antics, unmistakably a classic part of BLOODSTOCK lore and back bigger and better this year! Bin preparation is already underway… Need we say more?
More of a morning person and up before lunchtime? ROCKFIT are back to get your blood pumping with friendly, fun, free exercise classes taking place in the Battle Arena - located near the gaming tent and Sophie Lancaster stage - at 10:45am Fri - Sun! Designed for every level of ability, just turn up and join in!
The Battle Arena is also where you’ll find the VIKINGS OF BLODORN ENGLAR AND HRAFN VAERINGI bringing full-contact medieval carnage! This isn’t re-enactment, this is war! The Battle Of Bloodstock commences at 12:30pm Fri - Sun. Forget scripted battles and polite choreography, these warriors don’t pull their punches.. Real armour. Real weapons (blunted, but only just). Metal on metal, the clash of steel, splintering of shields.. and yes, the occasional chair! There are no staged duels, this is feral, adrenaline-fuelled combat, where every clash is a test of raw power and iron will. Heavy metal meets hardened steel.
This is a full-contact sport that brings the brutality of the Dark Ages into the modern arena — fought under strict rules and rigorously marshalled to ensure safety and fairness. Across the weekend, you’ll witness a series of high-impact events:
⚔️ Holmgang (1 vs. 1) – Duel to dominate. One fighter leaves standing.
🛡 Team Bridge Fights (5 vs. 5) – Shield walls clash and bodies hit the dirt. The aim? Take down the entire enemy team.
☠️ The Circle of Treachery (All vs. All) – No allies. No rules. Just chaos. The last warrior standing is crowned Champion of Bloodstock.
Combat is scored much like fencing, clean strikes count, precision matters, and it’s all about dominance and survival. In team fights, once you're down, you're out. Shield up. Eyes forward. The Battle of Bloodstock returns!
BLOODSTOCKers will also have the chance to meet the warriors of the Blodorn and Hrafn up close and personal. Stop and talk to the Vikings and take your photo with them. They are happy to answer questions about their weaponry, armour, and the history of the Viking Age as well as using their carefully honed skills to claim glory on the battlefield. These warriors are fully immersed in the history and attitudes of the Northmen of a thousand years ago.
Inspired by all the axe action? Have a go at Axe-Throwing with your mates (at the stand in the main arena)!
There’s also the Rock And Metal Gallery (more details about exhibitors soon), the heavy metal Market Place (more details on all traders soon), the Gaming Arena with modern and retro video games to play (anyone like Doom?), and the Dixxon Signing Tent where you can meet your favourite bands.
If you already have a weekend ticket, a limited number of Wednesday early access passes are available for an add-on cost of £25 for those who want to max out their BLOODSTOCK experience, staying in any of the standard campsites (including Kyrr if you have a Kyrr-specific ticket) or the campervan field. This option is not available for the VIP or accessible campsites.
Head to the ticket store to see all currently available options including pre-bookable car parking.
If you’ve missed out on your preferred ticket type, sign up to official resale partner Tixel. Simply set an alert for notification if your tickets of choice become available, or pre-authorise your card in advance, so no need for constant checking back. Tixel also allows you to safely re-sell tickets to a new home if plans have changed. You can sell ALL ticket types, including instalment plan purchases, plus any tickets sold via Ticketmaster or other third party ticket outlets. Click through to https://tixel.com/uk/bloodstock-tickets for more information on how it works.
If you're thinking about travel options, consider Big Green Coach, for the closest drop off on site. Check out routes here.
Get more festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com. Watch a trailer here.
BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 7th-10th August 2025.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2025 Ronnie James Dio stage headliners are TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA. Headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage will be ME AND THAT MAN, KATAKLYSM, STATIC-X, and OBITUARY. You'll also be able to see MASTODON, NAILBOMB, MINISTRY, EMPEROR, FEAR FACTORY, LACUNA COIL, HERIOT, ORANGE GOBLIN, CREEPER, KUBLAI KHAN TX, CAGE FIGHT, RIVERS OF NIHIL, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, FEUERSCHWANZ, LORD OF THE LOST, PALEFACE SWISS, AUGUST BURNS RED, WARBRINGER, UNDEATH, SPIRIT ADRIFT, THROWN, ALL FOR METAL, BREED 77, HIGH PARASITE, and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD. Joining them are SHRAPNEL, FAMYNE, KONVENT, THE SPIRIT, GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS, ONE MACHINE, MY DILIGENCE, SHADE EMPIRE, EIHWAR, WATERLINES, PHOENIX LAKE, NEONFLY, WALL, DOGMA, SIGLOS, DEADFLESH, FOURWAYKILL, GNOME, TURIN, LOCK HORNS, OFNUS, ROUGH JUSTICE, IREOSIS, BA’AL, FRAYLE, PENGSHUI, VNDER A CRVMBLING MOON, APATHY UK, BARBARIAN HERMIT and more!
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