Hammerfest was a music festival held annually in North Wales. In 2013, Hammerfest moved to the Haven site in Pwllheli, Hafan y Môr Holiday Park as the festival outgrew its original site at Pontin's Holiday Village, Prestatyn, Wales. It is not related to a music festival of the same name hosted by white supremacist groups. The festival was owned by emc3i Ltd, sponsored by the music magazine Metal Hammer and run by the organizers of the Hard Rock Hell festival. Because the festival was held at a holiday camp, the organizers made pre-built venues and stages, and attendees stayed in the on-site accommodation. This enabled the festival to be held during the winter/spring months when outdoor camping is not desirable.
Hammerfest I
The original Hammerfest was held on 24–25 April 2009 in Prestatyn. Fifty bands appeared at the festival spread over three stages and across the two days. Saxon, Sepultura and Opeth headlined the two-day event.[1]
Open The Skies
Nex
Trigger The Bloodshed Bleed From Within
Sworn Amongst
The Morning After
Mia Hope
Many Things Untold
Everything Burns
The Dead Lay Waiting
With Chaos In Her Wake
Bullet for My Valentine were originally booked as headliners for the festival, but pulled out due to recording commitments.[2]
Hammerfest II
The second Hammerfest was held on 12–13 March 2010, with a pre-party on the preceding Thursday. 44 bands performed across three stages during the two-day festival, with an additional 8 bands performing on the second and third stages during the Thursday pre-party. The festival was headlined by 5 Finger Death Punch and Suicidal Tendencies.[3]
Revoker
Cars on Fire
No Made Sense
Sondura
Man Must Die
Echovirus
Huron
Godsized
Hellfighter
The More I See
Isolysis
Belligerence
Hammerfest III
The third Hammerfest was held on 18–19 March 2011. A pre-party was held on the preceding Thursday as in the previous year, with bands performing on the second and third stages. 48 bands performed across three stages during the two-day festival, with an additional 11 bands performing during the Thursday pre-party. Accept and Sabaton were the headline acts.[4]
Four months before the festival, Pontin's (who own the venue) went into administration. However, the festival still took place as scheduled.[5]
Spirtyus
Subservience
Arceye Ravenface
The Mercy House
Guardians of Andromeda
Sa-da-kO
Oaf
Ten Cent Toy
Cry Havoc
Severenth
Outgunned
Hammerfest IV
Hammerfest returned for a fourth edition of the festival on 15–18 March 2012.[6]Anthrax and Skindred were the headline acts on the main stage. The format was the same as previous years with the pre-party beginning on the Thursday night. In Total, 57 bands played across the three stages. Tickets for next year's Hammerfest 5 went on sale during the festival which promises to be bigger than ever at the new site.
Firebrand Super Rock
A Thousand Enemies
Flame Fracture
Inferno
Kyrbgrider
Trucker Diablo
Savage Outlaw
Spirytus
One More Victim
Oaf
Collapse
AR
Red Mist
Dripback
Let's Play God
Hammerfest V
The fifth installment took place between the 14 and 16 March 2013. The pre-party night took place on the 14th with bands playing on the second stage. Hammerfest 5 saw the introduction of an unplugged stage on the Friday but in general only two stages were used. The event was moved to Hafan Y Mor in Pwllheli.
Goddam Electric
Dyscarnate
Black Acid Souls
Vicious Nature Savage Messiah
Sacred Mother Tongue Sister Sin
Krusher
Sansara
Deadman Sugar
Fire In The Empire
Triaxis
Ancient Adelesant
Iron Knights RSJ
Cayne
Chimp Spanner
Bloodshot Dawn
Absolva Winterfylleth
Lifer
Viza
Evil Scarecrow
OAF Flayed Disciple
Driven
Monument
Bull Riff Stampede
Making Monsters
Undersmile
Serpent Venom
HARK
Def Con One
MOS Generator
Abadden
Line Of Fire
Bludvera
Mpire Of Evil
Stage Three
Friday – Unplugged At The Barrell
Triaxis
Chemicals Of Democracy Arthemis
Attica
Viza
Hammerfest VI
Hammerfest VI ("Book of the Dead") was in Pwllheli from 13 to 16 March 2014.
Hammerfest VII
Hammerfest VII, titled "METAL MARAUDERS" was held from 12 to 15 March 2015.