Sylak Open Air
Open-air metal and rock festival in the Ain
2026
About Sylak
Sylak — edition 2026
16th edition of Sylak Open Air, from July 31st to August 2nd, 2026 at the Stade Régis Perrin in Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans (Ain). Three days of open-air metal and rock with Black Label Society, Heaven Shall Burn, Biohazard, Amorphis, Dark Tranquillity, Madball, Agnostic Front, Rise of the Northstar, Terror, Orden Ogan and many other bands.
16th Edition: Sylak Strikes Even Harder
The Sylak Open Air returns from Friday, July 31st to Sunday, August 2nd, 2026 at the Stade Régis Perrin for a 16th edition that promises to be an exceptional vintage. By the end of May 2026, the organization had already announced a record occupancy rate of 73%, a sign of the enthusiasm for this lineup.
The headliner is Black Label Society, Zakk Wylde's band, a legend of American heavy metal. The edition also brings together Germany's Heaven Shall Burn, Finland's Amorphis, the melodic death metal of Dark Tranquillity, New York hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front, Madball and Biohazard, the energy of Rise of the Northstar and Terror, the power metal of Orden Ogan, the punk of The Casualties, the technical death metal of Gorod, as well as The Great Old Ones, Truckfighters, Misery Index, Slomosa, Cage Fight and many new discoveries.
True to its "Support Your Local Artist Krew" spirit, the festival maintains its human-sized format on the banks of the Ain, with its camping and its traditional Friday Warm Up.
Highlights Sylak 2026
- Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society closing the festival on Sunday, August 2 at 11:50 PM
- Heaven Shall Burn headlining Saturday night at 11:40 PM
- Scandinavian melodic metal icons Dark Tranquillity (Sunday, 10:10 PM) and Amorphis (Saturday, 8:50 PM)
- Rise of the Northstar on Saturday at 10:10 PM and Orden Ogan on Sunday at 8:50 PM
- The New York hardcore powerhouse lineup: Madball (Saturday, 6:15 PM), Biohazard (Saturday, 7:30 PM), Agnostic Front (Sunday, 6:15 PM), and Terror (Sunday, 7:30 PM)
- Friday’s Warm Up featuring Gorod at 10:50 PM and The Casualties at 12:05 AM
- Free camping for all festival-goers from Friday morning through Monday morning
- Cool off in the Ain river, located just steps from the festival site, between sets
Programme Sylak 2026
Sylak Open Air features a single stage, with an official timed running order published by the organizers.
Friday, July 31, 2026 — Warm Up
Doors open at 4:30 PM.
- 5:15 PM – 5:50 PM — Psyclons
- 6:20 PM – 6:55 PM — Face 2 Fake
- 7:25 PM – 8:05 PM — Nøcide
- 8:35 PM – 9:10 PM — Embrace Your Punishment
- 9:40 PM – 10:20 PM — LocoMuerte
- 10:50 PM – 11:35 PM — Gorod
- 12:05 AM – 1:00 AM — The Casualties
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Doors open at 10:30 AM.
- 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM — Catchlight
- 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM — Death Decline
- 1:30 PM – 2:10 PM — Gravekvlt
- 2:40 PM – 3:20 PM — The Great Old Ones
- 3:50 PM – 4:30 PM — SUN
- 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM — Truckfighters
- 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM — Madball
- 7:30 PM – 8:20 PM — Biohazard
- 8:50 PM – 9:40 PM — Amorphis
- 10:10 PM – 11:10 PM — Rise of the Northstar
- 11:40 PM – 1:00 AM — Heaven Shall Burn
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Doors open at 10:30 AM.
- 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM — Occult Hand Order
- 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM — Pilori
- 1:30 PM – 2:10 PM — Cage Fight
- 2:40 PM – 3:20 PM — Reverend Beat-Man & Milan Slick
- 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM — Misery Index
- 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM — Slomosa
- 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM — Agnostic Front
- 7:30 PM – 8:20 PM — Terror
- 8:50 PM – 9:40 PM — Orden Ogan
- 10:10 PM – 11:10 PM — Dark Tranquillity
- 11:50 PM – 1:00 AM — Black Label Society
Prices Sylak 2026
Practical information — Sylak
Practical Information
Getting There
Sylak Open Air is held at Stade Régis Perrin, chemin du Stade, 01800 Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans, in the Ain department.
- From Lyon (30 km): Take the A42 towards Bourg-en-Bresse / Genève, exit 7 (Pérouges), then follow the D65b to Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans — toll approx. €1.60.
- From Bourg-en-Bresse (50 km): Take the A40 then A42 towards Lyon, exit 7, then the D65b — toll approx. €3.50.
- From Grenoble (105 km): Take the A48 then A43, exit 5 (Pont-de-Chéruy), then the D75 and D18d — toll approx. €7.60.
- By train: The nearest station is Meximieux-Pérouges, 10 km from the venue.
- Shuttles: Shuttles run between Meximieux-Pérouges station and the festival. The trip takes about 15 minutes and costs €3 per ride. They are scheduled to match specific train arrivals and must be booked by emailing [email protected]; your spot is confirmed once payment is received.
- Carpooling: Use BlaBlaCar or the festival's dedicated Karos community.
Parking is free for everyone, including accessible parking, trucks, vans, 3-day pass holders, 1-day pass holders, and volunteers. Sleeping in your vehicle is strictly prohibited for safety reasons.
Opening Hours
- Friday: Gates open at 4:30 PM, first band at 5:15 PM.
- Saturday: Gates open at 10:30 AM, first band at 11:30 AM.
- Sunday: Gates open at 10:30 AM, first band at 11:30 AM.
You are free to enter and exit the festival grounds throughout the event to visit your tent or vehicle.
Camping
Camping is free for all festival-goers, whether you have a 1-day or 3-day pass. The campsite is open from Friday morning until Monday morning, and usually from Thursday evening (though showers and toilets may not be available on Thursday night). Showers and toilets are free, but showers are closed at night. Barbecues, campfires, gas stoves, glass bottles, pets, and camping outside the designated areas are strictly forbidden. The municipal campsite Les Plages de l'Ain is a nearby alternative, and you can also swim in the Ain river.
On-site
The festival is entirely cashless: bars, food stalls, and merchandise can only be paid for with the cashless card. There are no ATMs on-site. The SYLAK cup costs €1 and is not refundable. Croissants and pains au chocolat are sold in the morning to support local charities. DSLR and bridge cameras are prohibited (compact cameras are allowed), as is video recording with sound and the distribution of flyers for environmental reasons.
Accessibility
We provide an accessible camping area, adapted toilets, reserved parking spaces, and a viewing platform. Adapted showers are available at the stadium; please request a specific pass at the ticket office. For assistance, companions can email [email protected].
Ticketing
Tickets are sold via the official See Tickets platform: 3-day passes, blind passes, and 1-day tickets are available, with reduced rates for job seekers and RSA recipients. Entry is free for children under 12 (no booking required); minors must be accompanied by an adult. Pass Culture and Pass'Région are accepted. An official resale platform for private sales is available at resell.seetickets.com.
Contact
Organization: The Rock Runners association (non-profit) — [email protected].
Official website: www.sylakopenair.com · Facebook: facebook.com/sylakopenair · Instagram: @sylakopenair
Human-Scale Metal on the Banks of the Ain
Nestled in the heart of the Plaine de l'Ain, about forty kilometres east of Lyon, Sylak Open Air has established itself since 2011 as one of the most endearing metal festivals in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Every summer, the Stade Régis Perrin in Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans transforms into a true temple of the riff, welcoming several thousand enthusiasts from across France and beyond.
The SYLAK Spirit: Supporting Local Artists
Behind the acronym lies a philosophy: "Support Your Local Artist Krew". Founded by the association The Rock Runners, established in 2005, the festival has always championed a line-up blending international headliners with local and national discoveries. The entire organisation relies on passionate volunteers, with no employees or offices. This authenticity shows in the festival's unique atmosphere, where the closeness between artists and audience creates an incomparable energy.
The line-up is collectively decided by the volunteers, ensuring remarkable musical diversity: from death metal to stoner rock, from hardcore to punk, via black metal, doom and thrash. Over the editions, legendary acts such as Dimmu Borgir, Candlemass, Mass Hysteria, Korpiklaani and Agnostic Front have graced the Sylak stage.
An Exceptional Natural Setting
One of Sylak Open Air's major assets is its natural setting. The stadium, located on the edge of the Ain river, offers festival-goers the chance to swim between concerts, creating a relaxed summer atmosphere rare in the world of metal. The campsite is an integral part of the experience, allowing visitors to live the festival from the inside over three days.
The traditional Friday Warm Up, with its legendary outdoor metal foam bath covering nearly 200 m², has become an unmissable moment that sets the tone for a weekend of conviviality and raw energy.
Controlled Growth
Since its first edition in 2011, Sylak Open Air has continued to grow while preserving its human-scale festival identity. The move to three full days, the constantly enriched programme and the hosting of top-tier international acts demonstrate measured but determined ambition. The festival benefits from local authority support and actively contributes to the cultural and tourist appeal of the Plaine de l'Ain.
Sylak embodies this new generation of independent festivals proving that passion, volunteering and musical standards can coexist to deliver an authentic experience, far from the commercial logic of major event groups.
Where does it take place — Sylak
Sylak in brief
History of Sylak
Edition 2025 Aug 2025Other festivals near Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans
Festival-goer reviews
5.0/5 (1 reviews)Encore une pure et belle édition ! Un beau site, de belles équipes de bénévoles hyper investis. Ça fait chaud à voir. Merci pr tout ça
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