There are rock stars.
There are legends.
And then thereโs Ozzy Osbourne.
On 22 July 2026, Birmingham will officially celebrate its very first Ozzy Day, transforming the birthplace of heavy metal into one giant tribute to the Prince of Darkness. One year after the world lost one of rockโs most iconic figures, his hometown is preparing a celebration worthy of the man who helped change music forever.
From live performances and exhibitions to special merchandise, murals and fan gatherings, Birmingham is throwing open its doors to thousands of rock and metal fans ready to honour one of its most famous sons.
And honestly?
We wouldnโt expect anything less.
๐ธ From Aston Lad to Heavy Metal Royalty
Every great story has humble beginnings.
For Ozzy Osbourne, it all started in Aston, Birmingham, where a working-class teenager with a larger-than-life personality would go on to help invent an entirely new genre of music.
Alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, Ozzy formed Black Sabbath in 1968.
The bandโs dark riffs, thunderous rhythms and haunting lyrics became the blueprint for heavy metal, inspiring everyone from Metallica and Iron Maiden to Slipknot, Ghost and countless bands still filling festival stages today.
More than five decades later, those songs still sound as powerful as ever.
Paranoid. War Pigs. Iron Man. Children of the Grave.
Theyโre not just songs.
Theyโre part of rock history.
๐ฅ Birmingham Will Be Filled With Sabbath
Ozzy Day wonโt be confined to one venue.
Instead, the entire city will become one enormous celebration.
The fantastic Bostin Brass will perform Black Sabbath and Ozzy classics at locations throughout Birmingham, bringing heavy metal to the streets in a way only Birmingham could.
Imagine walking through New Street Station on a Wednesday morning and hearing Paranoid blasting from a brass band.
Thatโs exactly the sort of glorious madness this city does best.
๐ป Heavy Metal Meets Classical Music
If brass wasnโt enough, members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will also perform during the celebrations.
Black Sabbathโs music has always carried huge drama and atmosphere, so hearing those iconic riffs reimagined with orchestral arrangements promises to be something truly special.
Heavy metal and classical music have always shared more DNA than people realise.
Power.
Emotion.
Scale.
Ozzy Day will showcase exactly that.
๐ Ozzy the Bull Takes Centre Stage
Birminghamโs famous mechanical bull will also receive an Ozzy makeover.
Originally built for the Commonwealth Games before being affectionately named Ozzy by the public, the giant bull has become one of the cityโs biggest attractions.
For Ozzy Day, fans will be able to grab commemorative photographs with the larger-than-life mascot.
Only Birmingham could have a giant mechanical bull dressed in tribute to a heavy metal legend.
And somehowโฆ it feels perfectly normal.
๐ค A Chance to Share Your Memories
Music is personal.
Everyone has an Ozzy story.
Whether it was hearing Crazy Train for the first time, discovering Black Sabbath through a parent, seeing Ozzy live, or simply growing up with his music blasting through the house, fans will have the chance to record those memories as part of Birminghamโs celebrations.
Those stories will become part of a lasting archive celebrating Ozzyโs incredible legacy.
๐ Visit Ozzyโs Final Throne
One of the most emotional parts of Ozzy Day will undoubtedly be the opportunity to see the throne used during his unforgettable final performance.
The throne is now displayed inside the Working Class Hero exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Itโs a powerful reminder of Ozzyโs determination.
Despite years of health struggles, he returned to Birmingham one final time, proving that rock โnโ roll spirit can never truly be broken.
๐ธ Relive
Back to the Beginning
Fans can also explore a stunning photographic exhibition celebrating Back to the Beginning, Ozzyโs emotional farewell performance.
Packed with incredible images from that historic night, the exhibition captures the atmosphere, emotion and sheer scale of one of heavy metalโs most unforgettable concerts.
For anyone lucky enough to witness it in person, itโll bring the memories flooding back.
For everyone else, itโs a chance to experience a little piece of rock history.
๐ Exclusive Ozzy Day Merchandise
No celebration would be complete without exclusive merch.
A limited-edition Ozzy Day T-shirt has been created featuring Ozzy from his final hometown performance.
On the back?
Every Birmingham performance throughout his incredible career.
Expect these to disappear quicker than free beer backstage.
๐ Food, Drinks and Proper Rock โnโ Roll Atmosphere
Several venues across Birmingham will embrace Ozzy Day with themed food, drinks and music.
Expect Black Sabbath blasting through speakers, rock fans filling the streets and plenty of opportunities to raise a glass to one of the greatest entertainers heavy music has ever known.
Because if thereโs one thing metalheads know how to doโฆ
Itโs celebrate together.
๐บ๏ธ Walk Through Heavy Metal History
Visitors can also explore Birminghamโs famous Black Sabbath landmarks, including:
- ๐ช The Black Sabbath Bench
- ๐จ The Black Sabbath Mural
- ๐ฟ The Vol. 4 mural
- ๐บ The historic Crown Pub
- ๐๏ธ Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
- ๐ Ozzy the Bull
Together, these landmarks tell the story of how four lads from Birmingham changed music forever.
๐ค More Than a Musician
Ozzy Osbourne wasnโt simply the voice of Black Sabbath.
He became one of the most recognisable personalities in entertainment.
He made us laugh.
He shocked us.
He inspired generations.
He proved that you could come from an ordinary street in Birmingham and become one of the biggest rock stars on Earth without ever forgetting where you came from.
That authenticity is why millions connected with him.
He was never pretending.
He was simply Ozzy.
๐ค The Riff Report Saysโฆ
Ozzy Day feels exactly right.
Not because Birmingham owes Ozzy anythingโฆ
But because Ozzy gave Birminghamโand the worldโsomething priceless.
He helped create a genre.
He inspired millions of musicians.
He united generations of rock fans.
And he never stopped being proud of his hometown.
On 22 July, Birmingham wonโt just remember a musician.
It will celebrate a son of the city whose voice echoed around the world.
So if youโre heading to Birmingham, wear your favourite band shirt, crank up Crazy Train, visit the Black Sabbath landmarks and celebrate one of the greatest legends heavy music has ever produced.
Raise your horns high. ๐ค๐ฆ
Because legends never truly leave us.
Long live the Prince of Darkness. ๐ค๐ฅ๐ค
