On June 29th Download Festival and The Heavy Metal Truants will launch the Download 20 Auction to coincide with Download Festival’s 20th anniversary which it celebrates this June. This historic event will see the last 20 years of legendary Download Headliners contributing to a collection of unique and rare memorabilia which will be auctioned off to support four children’s charities.
The online auction, which has already been promised special items from Avenged Sevenfold, Bring Me The Horizon, David Coverdale, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Muse & System Of A Down among others, will go live on Thursday 29th June 2023 and remain online for one week. Entries will close on Thursday 6th July 2023 at midnight, UK time. Winners will be announced for each item the following week, with proceeds going to the Heavy Metal Truants four chosen charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, Childline, and Save The Children.
“This is about the rock and metal community coming together to do something that is truly amazing,” says founding Download Festival organiser Andy Copping. “The response we’ve had from artists and people behind the scenes has been truly phenomenal, and I can’t wait for people to see what we’ve put together.”
The Heavy Metal Truants were co-founded by Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood and ex-Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas in 2013. Now in their eleventh year, they have so far raised £1.2 million via their annual 150-mile cycle ride from London to Donington Park, the home of Download festival, as well as a host of events, auctions and raffles in addition to virtual challenges which allow walkers, runners, and cyclists to participate no matter where they are in the world.
“The Heavy Metal Truants is a great way for the rock and metal community to come together and help disadvantaged children,” says Smallwood. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan, if you’re in the industry or in a band: you can make a difference by helping to improve the lives of kids and young people by joining us or supporting these activities, and that counts for a lot!”
“The Download 20 Auction is about history,” adds Milas. “Over 20 years Andy Copping and all at Download have left an indelible mark on this genre of music. Good luck to the bidders: please bid generously, and often!”
