Manitoba Metalfest celebrates 20 years of heavy metal in Winnipeg
Posted May 10, 2026 3:34 pm.
Last Updated May 10, 2026 3:35 pm.
Heavy metal fans packed the Park Theatre this weekend as the Manitoba Metalfest celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sold-out two-day event in Winnipeg.
The annual festival brought together 11 bands from across North America, including major acts such as Cancer Bats, Crowbar and Arizona death metal band Gatecreeper, which headlined Saturday night’s show.
“The shows are packed. And this is the healthiest I’ve ever seen Winnipeg’s metal scene in my 20 years in the scene,” said Cory Thomas, event organizer and drummer for local band Nocturnal Departure. “But everywhere I see that. Metal’s the strongest it’s ever been and it’s amazing. I love it. I wished for this day to come.”
Gatecreeper members praised Winnipeg’s passionate fanbase and deep roots in heavy music.
“I love everything about Winnipeg. This is seriously one of my favourite cities in the world actually,” said bassist Alex Brown. “You guys have such a strong tradition of punk metal and grindcore bands here.”
Lead vocalist Chase Mason said fans in Winnipeg continue to support live metal shows despite the city often being overlooked on major touring routes.
“I think that maybe it isn’t a spot where a lot of bands come to on their major tours,” Mason said. “But I think that if you make the effort to come here, then fans and people who love metal will come out to the shows.”
Festival organizers say events like Manitoba Metalfest continue to help grow the genre by showcasing both international and local talent.
“It’s so cool as a music fan to be able to go to a festival like this,” Brown said. “There’s so many of your favourite bands all together as one. And especially a fest like this where it’s both out of town bands and local bands. So you get that mix of everything in one.”
What began as a smaller event at the Osborne Village Inn in the early 2000s has grown into one of the city’s signature metal festivals.
Thomas says the metal community is often misunderstood, but remains welcoming and supportive.
“I understand that stigma that people have,” he said. “They just see these mean looking tattooed up burly guys with spikes all over them but really 90 per cent of them are sweethearts at these shows. It’s a safe environment. Even in the moshpits when people fall, you see everyone go down to pick them up and get them back up again.”
To mark the festival’s milestone anniversary, Thomas’s band Nocturnal Departure opened Saturday night’s lineup.
“It’s a mixture of nervousness, anxiousness and excitement and all good stuff,” Thomas said.
