Download XXI

With only one month to go until the mighty return of Liquid Death presents Download Festival, DLXXI has unleashed its ‘Beyond The Bands’ offerings, giving Download-goers an even more exciting experience onsite with brand new food, drink, gaming and sport options. Taking place on 12-16 June 2024 at the hallowed grounds of Donington Park, Download will be headlined by Queens Of The Stone Age, Fall Out Boy and Avenged Sevenfold. You can buy the last remaining tickets here: www.downloadfestival.co.uk.
 
Bigger, better and bursting with exclusive goodies, the Download Megastore is set to impress with new product lines, limited editions and exclusive collaborations with the likes of P&Co, Mary Wyatt and more. From Lou’s Hot Sauce to patch and pin badges and exclusive plush toys, there’s something for everyone. Plus, fuel up with an exclusive 200 Degrees Coffee x Download Festival blend, complimentary with every reusable cup purchase.
 
For those looking to murder their thirsts, Liquid Death hydration stations will be dotted around for festival-goers to grab a cold can of Liquid Death. And if you’re super lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of their iconic branded Liquid Death Hearse somewhere too. Will their beloved mascot Murder Man make an appearance and get up to his usual antics?
 
Step into a realm of audio wonder with the Eulogy immersive experience housed in an intriguing shipping container. Created by Darkfield, and free for fans, this is a 30-minute journey of complete darkness, using binaural sound and sensory effects to situate each participant in the centre of intense evolving narratives.
 
The Outpost is set to host live fire cooking demos with Shropshire Lad & Boca Loco, fire lighting and primitive skills showcases from Axe & Paddle, chilli eating contests from League of Fire, hot dog eating contests, wellness mornings, and classic Hammer Films screenings for the ultimate fright night experience. Footy fans will also be able to watch the key opening games in EURO 24, as The Outpost will screen the Scotland (Friday) and England (Sunday) games live.
 
Elsewhere, the food and beverage offerings onsite promise to be better than ever, with dozens of vendors catering for all dietary requirements, including the likes of In For A Penne, Bunnyman’s Chow, Happy Maki, King of the Yorkie, The Rock and Roll Toastie Company, Spud Gun Loaded Fries, Señor Churro, Crooked K’s Macaroni, No Frickin’ Chicken and many more.
 
Back by popular demand is the LoNo bar, serving up a choice of non-alcoholic beers and cocktails, proving that you don’t need alcohol to have a good time. But for those who fancy an ice cold beer, The Tap House and Beer Hall are also returning for this year, as well as Rocktail Cocktail, who will be serving up tasty cocktails alongside a host of DJs playing epic tunes.
 
New for this year are The Gooseneck Inn, a biker bar with premium spirits, and the Ace Of Spades Tavern, which will host food and entertainment in District X. The Welders Yard, by the arena entrance, will host some fantastic food stands and specialist bars, and Nohrlund will be holding cocktail making classes and demonstrations and serving their organic cocktails across the festival.
 
Inside the arena, festival-goers will find a Liquid Death Skate Ramp where they can catch pro skateboard and BMX riders in action. Tattoo booths from Liquid Death Tattoo and Old Sarum will be ready to make this year’s Download a memorable one, Mantorship will be running an open circle for men to discuss their mental health, plus iconic fairground rides and more than 80 independent market traders offering everything from jewellery, camping goods to body art.
 
Sega and Atlus Games will be bringing a gaming experience like never before to Download, with festival-goers among the first to play Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance at the immersive gaming experience. In honour of this, Friday night’s hugely popular fancy dress theme will be based on Video Game Icons, with people invited to dress for the anime / manga / cosplay theme.
 
BBC Radio 1 will once more broadcast live from the festival and give fans the opportunity to enjoy their photobooth activation with some very special surprise guests!
 
Following on from the recent District X announcement featuring Silent Disco, Comedy and Podcasts, the DLXXI’s Beyond The Bands offerings prove that Download is much more than just its stellar band line-up, with truly something for everyone to enjoy across the 5 days. More information and tickets at www.downloadfestival.co.uk.