Hills of Rock returns to Bulgaria next summer, and this is one festival that deserves way more attention than it gets on this side of Europe.
The three day event takes place at Plovdiv Rowing Canal from 24th to 26th July 2026, and the lineup is absolutely stacked. We’re talking Marilyn Manson, Godsmack, Electric Callboy, and Lamb of God headlining across the weekend. That’s a serious spread of heavy music spanning decades of influence.
Thursday kicks off with Marilyn Manson supported by Of Mice & Men and Vended. Friday sees Godsmack take the top spot alongside Black Label Society, Nothing More, and Karen Dio. Then Saturday closes things out with Electric Callboy‘s gloriously chaotic energy, plus Lamb of God, Paradise Lost, and Deafheaven.
Watching Electric Callboy on the same bill as Paradise Lost feels like the perfect snapshot of where heavy music sits right now.
Plovdiv itself is worth the trip. One of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, it blends Roman ruins with a thriving arts scene. The festival site at the Rowing Canal creates this natural amphitheatre setting that looks absolutely stunning in photos.
It’s fun to take a trip and be immediately welcomed by like minded people. We’ve never been to Bulgaria, but we bet this would be epic. There’s proper on site camping too, which is exactly how festivals should be experienced.
With Bulgaria joining the Eurozone and becoming increasingly accessible for European travellers, Hills of Rock could easily become one of those annual pilgrimage festivals for the UK rock and metal community.
Tickets are available now at hillsofrock.com.
