After nearly a decade of silence, Ozzfest is officially set to rise again.
Speaking at MIDEM 2026 in Cannes on February 6, Sharon Osbourne confirmed that the long-running metal festival will return in 2027. The last edition took place in 2018 at the Forum in Los Angeles, just weeks before Ozzy Osbourne’s health began to decline.
“There was never a plan to stop,” Sharon explained. “Ozzy couldn’t continue at the time, but the conversation about bringing it back never really left us.”
Ozzfest originally launched in 1996 after Ozzy was denied a slot on Lollapalooza. What began as a small touring event quickly evolved into one of the most influential hard rock and metal festivals in the United States. Over the years it became a proving ground for emerging acts, helping elevate artists such as Slipknot, System Of A Down and Limp Bizkit at pivotal moments in their careers.
While Ozzy’s presence was once inseparable from the festival’s identity, Sharon revealed that the brand itself was always bigger than one performer. “Ozzy would ask me if it could work without him,” she said. “It’s a brand. It has its own life.”
Earlier this year, Sharon confirmed discussions with Live Nation about reviving the festival in a modern format. Rather than simply recreating the touring structure of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the 2027 edition is expected to evolve, potentially expanding beyond strict genre boundaries while maintaining Ozzfest’s core focus on heavy music and emerging talent.
The festival’s original run ended largely due to rising performance costs and escalating management demands. Sharon has previously spoken candidly about the financial pressures that made the event increasingly difficult to sustain, describing it as no longer cost-effective despite remaining profitable.
Ozzy Osbourne passed away last year at age 76 following cardiac arrest, just weeks after performing his farewell show at the “Back To The Beginning” event in Birmingham. That concert served as a final celebration of his career and legacy.
Now, nearly thirty years after its inception, Ozzfest appears ready to begin its next chapter, one shaped by its history, but not confined by it.
No lineup details or format specifics have been announced. More information is expected as 2027 approaches.
