The numbers have been crunched, and metal has proven its mettle once again.
For the third consecutive year, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival drew a record-breaking crowd over its four-day run at Historic Crew Stadium.
More than 184,000 fans attended the sold-out event from May 14-17, according to festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP). The previous record, set in 2025, was 175,000 people.
More than 140 bands were featured on five stages at Sonic Temple, including headlining acts My Chemical Romance, Shinedown, Bring Me the Horizon, and Tool.
The festival brought special performances, collaborations, memorials, and even marriage proposals, which DWP reported happened during sets by Slaughter to Prevail and Paleface Swiss.
DWP and Historic Crew Stadium sealed an extension deal in July 2025, ensuring that Sonic Temple will continue in Columbus through at least 2030.
Dates for the 2027 festival are yet to be announced.
Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Sonic Temple sells out, shatters 2025 attendance record
Reporting by Belinda M. Paschal, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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