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Metaldays moves to Velenje: a metal festival by a lake born from a mine
After almost two decades in Tolmin, Slovenia's biggest metal festival moved in 2023 to the shore of Lake Velenje, a lake that did not exist a century ago and was created by the coal mine next door.
For years, Metaldays meant one place: the meeting of the Soča and Tolminka rivers in Tolmin, where fans swam in emerald water between bands. In 2023 the festival moved across the country to Velenje. The Metaldays gallery has photos from the first edition at the new site.
Where it started
The festival began in Tolmin in 2004 as MetalCamp and was renamed Metaldays in 2013. It grew into one of the best-known metal festivals in this part of Europe, with crowds coming from all over the continent for a week of bands, camping and the river.
Why it moved
Success caused the problem. With more than 10,000 visitors a day, the festival had outgrown what the local authorities in Tolmin were willing to host, and the municipality limited events at the riverside site. When Velenje offered a home at its lake, the organisers took it. A new festival, Tolminator, has since taken over the old site in Tolmin.
A lake made by a mine
Lake Velenje has an unusual history. It sits in the Šalek Valley, where lignite has been mined for well over a century, and the lake formed as the ground above the mine sank and filled with water. Over the decades, a landscape scarred by industry has been turned into a recreation area with beaches, paths and sports grounds.
The festival took over Vista Park on the shore, with a view across the water. It is a fitting home for heavy music: a valley built on coal and power that has reinvented itself.
Metaldays 2023
The first Velenje edition ran from 30 July to 5 August 2023 with around 130 bands across the week. The line-up included names such as In Flames, Paradise Lost, Kreator and Helloween, along with dozens of younger bands from Slovenia and abroad.
Still a week by the water
The river is gone, but the lake keeps the spirit of the old festival: days spent swimming and nights in front of the stage. For a festival whose identity was tied so closely to one place, that continuity mattered.
See the Metaldays photos, or browse all concert galleries.
From the gallery: Metaldays
See all 9 photographs
