After two very successful years to date, Kent’s premier rock festival, Maid of Stone, returns in 2025. It will be held July 18th-20th and once again be staged in beautiful Mote Park, Maidstone. Conveniently centred in the very heart of the Garden of England, the event is only one mile from J5, M20, one and a half miles from Maidstone East station, and the centre of Kent’s county town is only a 30-minute walk away.
In the wake of Ramblin’ Man‘s closure, Maid of Stone swiftly carved out its place on the rock festival calendar. It distinguished itself not only through excellent organisation but also by offering a comprehensive festival experience. Attendees could enjoy a variety of attractions beyond just music, including food stalls, bars, a signing area, merchandise booths for t-shirts, and even a relaxing VIP lounge—complete with axe throwing! The atmosphere was incredibly welcoming, as Moteheads gathered to mingle and foster a sense of ‘rock family,’ enhancing everyone’s enjoyment of the performances.
Maid of Stone provides a showcase for celebrating bands across a wide range of genres .. the music includes rock, blues, southern rock and Americana plus more, all absorbed by fans of all ages who really love their music. The headliners at Maid of Stone are unlikely to headline at Download, but the aim was never to be in direct competition. This event aims to provide a platform for acts who’re becoming established to show they can move up to the next level, as Those Damn Crows did in 2024, and for rising bands to show they deserve a place on bigger stages, as Gun also did.
2025’s event will feature two stellar headline acts. Saturday sees Black Stone Cherry top the bill on what will be their only UK performance this year, and on Sunday, the mad axeman himself, Michael Schenker, will be giving us his ‘My Years in UFO’ tour to commemorate his fifty years as an iconic axeman .. expect the unexpected. In 2024, over 30 acts were performed at Mote Park, and this year, we will see at least a similar number, which to date will include bands and artists like Rosalie Cunningham, Stone Broken and the legendary Sweet.
There’ll also be a second stage which will feature rising stars and local talent, as well as unsigned bands, including local Kent bands. This stage will include acts such as Those Wicked Rivers, Sarri Schorr, Empyre, Kentucky Headhunters and, straight from being support act to Iron Maiden, The Raven Age. There are also several more acts to be added to the bill and details of these will be announced shortly. Several bands who’ve appeared on these stages have gone on to make names for themselves, including Cats In Space and the Kris Barras band.
Chris Wright, festival booker, says, “Our aim has been on building a sustainable, high-quality event rock fans can rely on year after year. The support we’ve received from fans, local and international, is second to none and we’re more excited for 2025 than ever”.
