The 14th edition of Aftershock Festival returns to Discovery Park from October 1–4, 2026. Organizers have confirmed the event’s most ambitious lineup yet: more than 140 acts spread across five stages, making it the largest installment in the festival’s history.
Headlining the weekend are My Chemical Romance, Tool, Limp Bizkit, and Pierce The Veil, each closing out a different night.
- Opening day – Thursday, October 1 – will feature My Chemical Romance, joined by The Offspring and Sublime, along with fan favorites like The Pretty Reckless, The Used, Killswitch Engage, New Found Glory, and Sevendust.
- Friday shifts gears with Limp Bizkit at the top of a stacked bill that includes Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, $uicideboy$, and Insane Clown Posse, blending rock and hip-hop influences.
- On Saturday, Pierce The Veil steps into a headlining role for the first time at the festival, supported by A Day To Remember, BABYMETAL, Black Label Society, Sleeping With Sirens, and Circa Survive.
- Tool closes the festival on Sunday, October 4, following performances from Queens of the Stone Age, Danny Elfman, AFI, Stone Temple Pilots, and Suicidal Tendencies, among many others spanning metal, punk, emo, and nu-metal.
Festival founder Danny Wimmer described the upcoming edition as transformative, saying, “This year’s Aftershock marks a bold new chapter for the festival. We’ve brought together metal, punk, emo, and nu-metal to create a lineup that’s raw, youthful, and unapologetic. With Tool anchoring the weekend and Pierce the Veil making their headlining debut, we’re breaking boundaries and redefining what Aftershock can be.” He also emphasized the debut of on-site camping — a long-requested feature designed to turn the gathering into a fully immersive, four-day destination.
Beyond the music, Aftershock continues to provide a major boost to the local economy. According to Visit Sacramento President and CEO Mike Testa, the festival generates more than $39 million annually for the region. Testa said: “Aftershock continues to be a seminal moment for Sacramento, not just for the fans, but for the people who live and work here every day. The festival brings thousands of people to our city for four incredible days, generating more than $39 million in economic impact. Those dollars translate into critical support for our business community and civic partners. Maybe the best part is that Aftershock fans are often discovering Sacramento while they’re here and are making their experience synonymous with the city. We’re grateful for our partnership with DWP and can’t wait to welcome everyone back later this fall.”
Four-day and single-day passes are currently available at the Aftershock website.
Editorial credit: Christian Bertrand / Shutterstock.com
