Aftershock 2026

The West Coast’s biggest rock and metal blowout is loading up for its most ambitious swing yet: Aftershock returns to Sacramento’s Discovery Park October 1–4, 2026, for four days, five stages, and a staggering 140-plus bands. Danny Wimmer Presents has stacked the marquee with four wildly different closers — My Chemical Romance on Thursday, Limp Bizkit on Friday, Pierce the Veil on Saturday, and the almighty Tool sealing it Sunday night — a spread that captures exactly how far this festival’s tent now stretches, from emo devotion to nu-metal chaos to prog-rock ritual.

Dig past the headliners and the depth is almost absurd. Where else does Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill share a weekend with BABYMETAL, Queens of the Stone Age, The Offspring, Sublime, A Day To Remember and a rare Danny Elfman set? The bill runs deep with heavy hitters (Killswitch Engage, Slaughter To Prevail, Body Count feat. Ice-T, Cavalera, Dethklok), scene-defining reunions and exclusives, and a bottomless well of emo, post-hardcore and metalcore — Coheed and Cambria, Underoath, Alexisonfire, Thursday, Saosin, The Devil Wears Prada and dozens more.

On the ground, 2026 marks a milestone: for the first time Aftershock adds full camping at nearby Cal Expo, with tent, car and RV options, complimentary showers, 24-hour security and medical, and re-entry between camp and grounds. Passes are on sale now — 4-Day and single-day GA, VIP, and the premium Capital Club — with several tiers already flagged low-inventory. It’s an all-ages, rain-or-shine throwdown at 1000 Garden Highway, gates historically opening around midday, with metal detectors at every entrance and a tight bag policy, so pack light and plan the four-day siege accordingly. Scan the full day-by-day lineup and festival info below.