Alcatraz: Music · Metal / Hard Rock

Alcatraz Festival is a major metal and hard rock event in Belgium, held in a prison fortress in Kortrijk every year in early August.

Alcatraz Festival – metal and hard rock festival in Kortrijk
4 daysDuration
AnnualFrequency
2026Upcoming edition
KortrijkBelgium

About Alcatraz Festival

Every summer, Alcatraz turns Kortrijk into a genuine open-air prison: for four days, around 45,000 festival-goers head to its four stages for a line-up mixing metal legends and rising talent. Organised by Apache Productions VZW, the festival has existed since 2008 and was voted Belgium’s best festival in 2024 by Studio Brussel listeners. Its prison-themed setting, well-designed accessibility for disabled visitors, and welcoming atmosphere have made it a respected name on the Belgian metal scene.

Why go to Alcatraz?

Because Alcatraz combines a line-up of international legends and rising Belgian talent, a prison theme that clearly sets it apart from other major metal festivals, and an atmosphere festival-goers themselves describe as one of the warmest on the circuit.

What to expect at Alcatraz

Four stages with contrasting atmospheres, a fully themed site built around the prison concept, a lively campsite with its own supermarket, and a line-up of more than a hundred announced bands each year.

The festival in detail

Duration & frequency
4 days (Thursday to Sunday, including a Thursday pre-party), annual festival, held every year in early August
Stages
4 stages, including the Prison Stage, The Swamp and Helldorado
Attendance
Around 45,000 festival-goers per edition
Audience
All ages, minors must be accompanied; atmosphere geared more towards teens/adults
Additional activities
Campsite with 24/7 supermarket, varied food options, stalls, VIP area, first-aid post

History of Alcatraz Festival

Founded in 2008 in Deinze at the Brielpoort venue, Alcatraz moved to Kortrijk in 2013 and has kept growing since: two days from 2014, three from 2017, four today. In 2024, the festival was voted Belgium’s best festival by Studio Brussel listeners. In 2025, for the first time in the festival’s 17-year history, all combi tickets sold out.

★ Festivals.be insider tip

Given the festival’s growing success (all combi tickets sold out since 2025), book early. Camping? Arrive right when the site opens on Thursday to pick your spot. Accessibility questions? The Inter team is there to help — email them ahead of time rather than on site.

Ticket types

A standard day ticket costs €99, a full-festival combi ticket €249. A VIP package is also available for €459 (VIP area, catering, souvenir included). Camping is an add-on (€24.50/person). Given how quickly the 2025 edition sold out, booking early is recommended.

Practical information

On-site campingWheelchair accessibleFree bike parking
Location
Sportcampus Lange Munte, Kortrijk
Organiser
Apache Productions VZW

Alcatraz Festival editions

6 – 9 August 2026Upcoming edition
8 – 10 August 2025Past edition

See also