‘My first rock festival was a wild ride and one major thing saved my weekend’

Daily Star reporter Bekka Barnard headed over to Czechia to scope out Rock for People festival, a five-day rock music event hosted on a former military airfield

I went over to one of Europe’s biggest rock festivals expecting loud guitars, larger than life sets and seriously late nights, but I wasn’t prepared for just how impressive the entire site would be. Rock for People is one European event that deserves a spot on your festival bucket list and after spending five days there, I can see exactly why fans keep coming back year after year.

I’ve been to so many festivals that I’ve lost count but I’ve never managed to get myself to a solely rock-focussed event, so I jumped at the chance to fly over to Czechia for the 31st Rock for People after spotting the incredible lineup completed by the legendary Iron Maiden.

Armed with my platform boots and exactly one denim jacket (big mistake, note to self: always look at the weather forecast), I made my way over to Hradec Králové for five days in the iconic Park 360. On-site camping is available but I stayed at the nearby EA Congress Hotel Aldis, which was a total game-changer for someone who always roughs it in a tent.

Having a warm shower and a comfy bed made such a difference to the overall festival experience and I have to admit, I went to bed every night feeling pretty chuffed in the knowledge that I wouldn’t be waking up on a deflated airbed at 7:38am after just three hours sleep. And no, I’m definitely not speaking from experience….

The hotel even went the extra mile by keeping its breakfast buffet open until 11am every day of the festival, meaning I could grab a croissant and a quick pick-me-up coffee before making the two-minute stroll to the nearest shuttle bus stop.

Rock for People think of every little thing including completely free transport to and from the festival with pick-up points dotted all over Hradec Králové so that wherever you’re staying, getting onto the site is the least of your concerns.

As soon as you arrive at Park 360, it’s impossible to miss the huge disused military hangars that have been transformed into everything from a PS5 gaming pop-up, an official merch stall, food halls even chill-out spaces.

The Mastercard stage was where I found VIP Heaven, with everything I could ever need and where I spent most of my time. At one end there was a large buffet table full of all the food a hungover headbanger could ever dream of: piles of hash browns, pizza, salad, desserts and even a chest freezer filled with ice lollies, while the fully-stocked bar is placed at the other end with tables, chairs, sofas and benches dotted throughout the tent.

Outside, there was a huge seating area filled with hanging egg chairs which were the perfect place to recharge after hours of stomping around the festival site. Having such a clean, relaxing place to kick back for a moment truly saved my weekend during those moments I could feel my energy dipping.

One of the nicest touches were the free dispensers stocked with plasters and earplugs which might sound like a small thing, but by day four I noticed plenty of weary rockers were making good use of them.

However, my personal pièce de résistance was the incredible view from the balcony platform. Being a bit on the shorter side, I have an absolute nightmare in crowds and more often than not I can barely see what is happening on stage.

Being front and centre with the best view in the house all weekend was a very welcome change, so on Saturday we camped out at the same table for over six hours as Don Broco, Nothing But Thieves and Halsey took to the stage one after the other. This was my best festival experience to date and I think I’ve spoiled any future live music viewing for myself…VIP Heaven, you could say that again!

Rock for People 2026 had one of the most stacked lineups I’ve seen in years and I spent five days completely in my element: crossing off artists from my bucket list, drenched from the rain, covered in mud and a drink in hand.

The Mastercard stage was the perfect location for the theatrical acts like Bring Me The Horizon and Halsey, supporting the artists’ large sets, props and pyrotechnics, while the Rock for People stage was a slightly smaller enclosure surrounded by seating built into the hill looking over the main area.

Wolf Alice and Papa Roach performed here and I was able to get pretty close to the barrier both times, which is almost unheard of. The stages are placed at opposite ends of the park and the lineup is carefully orchestrated to avoid any clashes between the bigger acts, something everyone I spoke to noticed and appreciated.

Rock for People is a seriously underrated festival despite always having a stellar lineup filled with huge names. Past events have signed Linkin Park, Slipknot, Green Day, The Prodigy, Muse and Avenged Sevenfold, and ompared to the likes of Download and Hellfest, I’ve found that Rock for People seems to fly under the radar for the UK crowd.

So, make sure you head over for the next one before everyone else catches on as Blink-182 have already been announced as next year’s headliners – click here to secure your tickets for Rock for People 2027!

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