The amps might be silent after Decimate Metalfest 2026, but the heart behind the festival is anything but. Work has already begun to bring the noise back even louder.
Performer submissions for Decimate Metalfest 2027 open September 15, 2026, kicking off the search for the bands, artists, and creators who will help shape another weekend of heavy music, art, connection, and community in Alberta. All submissions must be made through the official Decimate Metalfest performer application on the festival website. Applications sent through any other channel will not be reviewed or considered. Submissions close October 15, 2026.
Last year’s call for performers reached farther than ever, with applications for Decimate Metalfest 2026 coming in from 15 countries, 8 Canadian provinces, and 25 U.S. states!
For festival founder Sloan Voxx, seeing DMF reach artists across borders is an incredible reminder of just how far this grassroots Alberta festival has come and how much the family surrounding it continues to grow. At the heart of it all are the experiences and memories created when everyone finally comes together.
“What started here in Alberta is reaching people thousands of kilometres away, and that’s pretty incredible to see! Every year we get to welcome back familiar faces while meeting people experiencing Decimate for the first time. Artists, attendees, volunteers, vendors, families, and crew all come together for the weekend. We watch people support each other, make new connections and friendships, share some ridiculous moments, and create memories that continue long after Decimate is over. We’re obviously here because we love heavy music, but Decimate has always been about family and community. Seeing familiar faces come back year after year, welcoming new ones into the family, and watching this community continue to grow is what makes all the work behind Decimate worth it. You can see the photos, watch the videos, and hear the stories, but there’s something about actually being there that you can’t really explain. You have to experience it for yourself,” says Voxx.
Heavy music is the heartbeat of Decimate Metalfest, with submissions encouraged from across the spectrum of metal, rock, punk, hardcore, alternative, and everything heavy in between. But DMF isn’t limited to bands. The festival also welcomes youth performers, solo artists, and other entertainers who have something they love to share, including drag performers, dancers, DJs, comedians, magicians, and more.
Local, national, and international performers are encouraged to apply!
Youth performers are especially encouraged to put their names forward. Giving young musicians a place to share what they love alongside established and touring artists has become one of the most rewarding parts of Decimate Metalfest.
“Some of my favourite moments are watching younger performers step onto that stage and absolutely own it,” says Voxx. “They get to share the same stage and be part of the same festival community as artists who have been doing this for years. You can see the nerves, the excitement, and then that moment where it clicks and they’re just up there doing what they love. There’s something pretty incredible about getting to witness that. They’re part of Decimate, just like everyone else,” adds Voxx.
With hundreds of applications received each year, every submission represents someone putting a piece of themselves out there. DMF wants to know the people and stories behind the music, not just what’s written in a bio.
“Tell us why we should book YOU! What makes you different? What do you bring to the stage? What have you been working toward? Why do you want to be part of Decimate? Most importantly, be yourself. Every artist brings something different to the Decimate stage, and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. We want to see what makes you uniquely you. Show us who you are. Tell us your story. Let your personality come through. Whether it’s your sound, your live show, your story, or something completely unexpected, show us what makes your band or performance yours.”
And one particularly important piece of advice for applicants: SEND MUSIC AND LIVE PERFORMANCE LINKS!
“Yes, we have received submissions without them. We’re pretty good, but we haven’t unlocked the ability to hear your band telepathically just yet! We want to hear what you sound like, but we also want to see what happens when you step onto a stage. Show us your energy. Show us your connection with the crowd. Show us the moments when you forget about everything else and just get lost in what you’re doing. That’s what live music is all about.”
SUBMISSION DETAILS:
Apply at https://www.decimatemetalfest.com/performer-submission
Submissions Open: September 15, 2026
Submission Deadline: October 15, 2026
Festival Dates: June 25 – 26, 2027
Location: Millet Agriplex Arena – Millet, Alberta, Canada
All performer applications will be reviewed by the DMF team following the October 15th deadline.
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Decimate Metalfest has never been about simply putting bands on a stage. It’s about what happens around that stage, too.
Somewhere between the riffs, the pit, the laughter, and the chaos, there are moments when the music and the love behind this community seem to collide. The kind of moments that stop you in your tracks. A crowd singing together. An artist watching another artist from the floor. A kid seeing someone on stage and realizing that could be them one day. Friends finding each other in the pit. Strangers throwing their arms around one another. Sometimes, those moments hit hard enough to bring tears right there in the middle of the crowd. And DMF isn’t afraid to admit that. It’s loud. It’s heavy. It’s a little chaotic. There will be riffs, pits, sore necks, ridiculous stories, and probably a few things nobody will ever fully be able to explain. But underneath all of it, there’s a hell of a lot of heart.
“Decimate has grown, but I never want to lose sight of what made it special in the first place. We can grow the stage, the lineup and the crowd, but that heart has to stay. That’s Decimate, and that’s what we’re building again for 2027,” says Voxx.
As preparations for 2027 get underway, Decimate Metalfest is also welcoming conversations with businesses, organizations, and community partners interested in supporting the festival. From helping create opportunities for artists and youth performers to supporting the festival experience itself, partnerships play an important role in helping an independent, grassroots event like DMF continue to grow.
Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for Decimate Metalfest 2027.
Interested businesses and organizations can connect with the Decimate Metalfest team at www.decimatemetalfest.com/partnership.
For the latest updates, lineup announcements, and ticket purchases, visit the official Decimate Metalfest website. Follow us on social media to stay in the loop:
More info: https://linktr.ee/decimatemf
About Decimate Metalfest:
Decimate Metalfest is an independent, grassroots, all-ages heavy music and arts festival based in Alberta, Canada.
Built by members of the heavy music community, for the heavy music community, DMF brings together touring artists, underground and emerging bands, youth performers, independent creators, entertainers, families and fans.
At its core, Decimate is about giving people a place to share what they love, discover something new, support one another and experience heavy music together.
The woman-led festival continues to create opportunities for artists while building a space where longtime metalheads, young families and first-time festivalgoers can all feel like they belong.
Because Decimate isn’t just about who plays the stage.
It’s about every person who becomes part of the story.
Partners and Sponsors include:
The Town of Millet, Millet Agriplex, Millet Lions Memorial Campground, Leduc Brewing, Best Copy Shop, Asher Media Relations, Prairie Fire Productions Ltd., Absolute Underground Magazine, 387 Entertainment, Fire Lotus Creative, Rendezvous Pub, Queer YEG, Seeing Red Podcast, Pinecase Mental Health, Broken Neck Radio, Edmonton’s Alternative Music Magazine, Alberta Music, CJSW 90.9FM.
Decimate Metalfest is also a proud member of the Western Canadian Metal Festival Alliance (WCMFA) and is honored to work alongside fellow independent festivals and music organizations that help strengthen the Canadian metal scene, including:
Loud As Hell Open Air Festival
Armstrong MetalFest
Hyperspace Metal Festival
Glacial Mutilation Metal Festival
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