Festivals / Europe
What to wear to Download
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Download is the UK's big rock and metal festival, held in June on grass fields beside the Donington Park race circuit for 75,000–80,000 people. 2019 was so wet it was nicknamed 'Drownload'. No Download-specific style press was found; the wider metal uniform of black band shirts, battle vests and boots works well in the mud.
- Dates
- 9–13 June 2027
- Where
- Donington Park, Leicestershire
- Gate rules
- 1 listed
- Outfits
- 2
When and where
- 9–13 June 2027 at Donington Park, Donington Park, Leicestershire. Download Festival (official)
- Start planning your outfit by 28 Apr 2027, six weeks out. Searches for this festival peak in the last two weeks before it opens.
- Last edition: 10–14 June 2026 (arena 12–14 June). Wikipedia: Download Festival
- Late Bird tickets are on sale; 2027 prices are not shown on the official site. Download Festival (official)
- 75,000–80,000 typical; a record of more than 100,000 in 2023 Wikipedia: Download Festival
- Music: Rock and metal.
- Official site
Weather and ground
- June at nearby Sutton Bonington: high 19.6°C, low 10.1°C, 64 mm of rain. Wikipedia: Nottingham
- Grass fields next to the race circuit. Wikipedia: Download Festival
What’s gone wrong before
- In 2019 torrential rain left Donington extremely muddy, earning the nickname "Drownload". Wikipedia: Download Festival
The dress code
We haven’t found solid fashion-press coverage of this festival’s style yet, so this section sticks to what the rules, weather and music tell us.
No press coverage of what people wear at Download specifically was found. The points below describe the wider metal uniform.
- Metal fashion centres on black clothes, long hair, leather jackets, band T-shirts, denim or leather vests with band patches, combat boots and spiked wristbands. Wikipedia: Heavy metal fashion
- Bikers began wearing band patches in the 1970s; metal fans popularised the name "battle jacket" in the 1980s. Wikipedia: Cut-off
On the ground
Outfits that work here
Shop buttons go straight to the retailer. We don’t earn anything from them yet.
Battle vest, wet field
The battle vest is the metal staple, and Donington fields turn to mud in wet years.
- Denim or leather battle vest with patchesWear it over a hoodie when it is cold.Shop at EMP
- Black band teeOfficial merch or vintage.Shop at EMPShop at Beyond Retro
- Black jeansHard-wearing.
- WelliesFor a Drownload year.Shop at EMPShop at Hunter
Drownload kit
June lows of about 10°C and 64 mm of rain a month.
- Rain jacketPackable or waxed.Shop at RainsShop at Barbour
- Waterproof trousersOver jeans in the worst of it.Shop at Rains
- Tall rubber bootsFor deep mud.Shop at AigleShop at Le Chameau
- Black hoodieThe warm layer underneath.Shop at KILLSTAR
Quick answers
When is Download 2027?
Download runs 9–13 June 2027 in Donington Park, Leicestershire, UK.
What are the bag and item rules at Download?
Official list: See "Things You Can / Can't Bring" on the official info page; the full list was not extracted for this guide. Rules change each year, so check the festival's own page before you pack.
What should I wear to Download?
Download is the UK's big rock and metal festival, held in June on grass fields beside the Donington Park race circuit for 75,000–80,000 people. 2019 was so wet it was nicknamed 'Drownload'. No Download-specific style press was found; the wider metal uniform of black band shirts, battle vests and boots works well in the mud. One outfit that works: battle vest, wet field. The battle vest is the metal staple, and…
What is the weather like at Download?
June at nearby Sutton Bonington: high 19.6°C, low 10.1°C, 64 mm of rain.
See it before you go
Scenes you’ll see here
- Metal
Black, denim, leather and a jacket covered in patches.
