Iron Hills Music Festival canceled for 2025, focus shifts to Furnace Fest

Organizers of the Iron Hills Music Festival announced Thursday that the 2025 edition of the event, originally scheduled for October 11-12 in Birmingham, has been canceled.

The decision comes amid what promoters described as rising economic and logistical challenges. They said the festival, which launched as a new addition to Birmingham’s music calendar, faced financial and operational hurdles too steep to overcome this year.

“The combination of increased production costs and softer-than-expected demand made the event financially and operationally impossible to move forward with this year,” organizers shared.

While the cancellation marks a setback, organizers emphasized their commitment to Birmingham’s music scene. WorkPlay, the team behind Iron Hills, will now concentrate on its long-running sister festival, Furnace Fest.

“Faced with the challenge of sustaining two festivals during such uncertain economic conditions, we had to make the hard choice to step back from Iron Hills in order to save and strengthen Furnace Fest,” organizers said. “This ensures that Furnace Fest can come back for years to come, continuing the legacy and community it has fostered in Birmingham.”
Furnace Fest, which has grown into a nationally recognized event over more than two decades, remains a staple of the city’s live music offerings.

Organizers also confirmed that all Iron Hills ticket holders will receive full refunds automatically within 30 business days. Purchasers will be notified by email through Eventim, formerly See Tickets.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].