Welcome to Rockville hosts some of the biggest names in the rock music scene, featuring numerous acts across several stages. It draws tens of thousands of rock ‘n’ roll worshipers from not just nationwide, but all around the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about Welcome to Rockville.
The rock music mecca is the brainchild of Danny Wimmer Presents, an LA-based music festival company.
It soon transformed into a two-day festival in 2013, when homeboys Lynyrd Skynyrd rocked the crowds along with lusted-after band Alice In Chains. Fast forward to 2018, Welcome to Rockville became the three-day festival we know and love today.
But this bad boy really set the bar while breaking records for festival attendees in 2022. Welcome to Rockville became America’s largest rock festival after it delivered a hell of a time to not less than 161,000 music lovers.
Elite international headliners such as Metallica and Korn are the prime names associated with this festival destination – and the roster doesn’t stop there.
Headlining in past editions were Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, and The Smashing Pumpkins, who translate into global favorites from the rock genre.
Although the festival used the same site until 2019, it now found its home on the vast and spacious grounds at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
The world-class racetrack hosts the famous Daytona 500 NASCAR race. Across the speedway’s grounds, the festival could adapt to its exponential growth by maximizing its capacity to hold hundreds of thousands of revelers.
Ladies and gents, we have the Welcome to Rockville Space Zebra Stage, Octane Stage, Rockvillian Stage, and DWPresents Stage.
Space Zebra and Octane are the two larger stages for headlining acts and A-list artists. Rockvillian and DWPresents are smaller stages tailored for local or lesser-known artists.
Revelers are spoiled for choice at Welcome to Rockville, with each stage featuring distinct vibes to ensure everyone gets the chance to attend the shows they love the most.
It’s best to arrive early at the festival to get hold of the best spaces. These include choosing areas away from the stages and bars, where the music is loud enough to stop you from catching an overnight slumber.
While selecting your tickets, it’s favorable to go in for campsite upgrades that give you larger spaces, allowing you to share the area with more friends.
Campers will be encouraged to deck their campsite in their best ‘80s-inspired decor for the entire weekend. Winners get a variety of prizes, from VIP upgrades to food and drink vouchers.
Don’t worry about that – Welcome to Rockville has you covered. The rock festival features a variety of immersive fan rides. Cool off in-between sets at the WhipSplash water slide or head up the Roundabout Ferris Wheel for sweeping views of the festival grounds.
The Round Up is there to take you for a fun spin if you’re craving an adrenaline rush – or enjoy the breeze on The Swinger if you are in an uber chill mood.
But the real prize was the 2021 chance to win a signed Epiphone Les Paul guitar by Slash, an iconic British-American guitarist who is best known for being part of Guns N’ Roses.
From quirky stuff to your everyday needs, there are shops that will make your long stay at the festival easy to navigate.
Get hold of some seriously sleek Welcome to Rockville merchandise, which looks swell with the iconic race theme printed on every item.
From hoodies and beach towels to bandanas and hats, you are spoilt for choice, so make sure you collect them right away from their website before they get sold out.
2022 saw severe thunderstorms over the festival weekend – so much that Korn, Breaking Benjamin, and Guns N’ Roses were forced to cancel their shows thanks to the weather. Plagued by bad weather and unexpected storms, the festival’s management had to cancel Friday and Saturday acts.
It’s not all bad news however, the festival’s management introduced Jerry Cantrell, Shinedown, and Alice in Chains for shorter sets before ultimately shutting down for the day.
In 2022, Clean Vibes accepted volunteers to help with the clean-up and recycling process in exchange for free admission to the festival.