Vagos Metal Fest is an annual metal music festival held in Vagos, a small town in central Portugal, rather than in Lisbon, but it’s one of the most prominent metal events in the country. First established in 2006, the festival has grown in popularity and stature, becoming a staple for metal enthusiasts in Portugal and Europe. Originally intended as a smaller, local gathering, it has since expanded to feature major international acts and attract a dedicated, passionate audience.

Held every summer, Vagos Metal Fest is known for its focus on extreme metal genres, with a lineup that includes bands from subgenres like death metal, thrash metal, black metal, doom metal and power metal. The festival is a platform for both established acts and emerging talents, making it a vibrant and diverse celebration of metal music. Some notable past performers have included bands like Behemoth, Amon Amarth, Epica, and Sodom, alongside local metal bands that have cemented their place in Portugal’s metal scene.

The crowd at Vagos Metal Fest is primarily composed of metal fans from Portugal and across Europe, drawn by the festival’s reputation for showcasing high-quality metal performances. The attendees are typically passionate, loyal, and highly engaged in the metal subculture, often seen sporting band shirts, tattoos, and participating in the communal spirit of the festival. With an electric atmosphere, the event offers a mix of headbanging, mosh pits, and an overall celebration of metal music in all its forms.

Vagos Metal Fest is held in a large open-air venue that allows for a great festival experience, and its unified metal community makes it one of the must-visit events for metal lovers in Europe.