Saskatchewan is marking its first Metal Week from February 23 to March 1, recognizing the province's heavy metal music community. The event, supported by the Government of Saskatchewan, highlights the cultural and economic contributions of metal music through a festival and conference in Saskatoon. Organizers aim to address underrepresentation faced by metal artists in venues and radio.
The province's Metal Week, officially granted by the Government of Saskatchewan, runs from February 23 to March 1 and focuses on the heavy music scene, which SaskMusic marketing and communications manager Andrew Bay describes as "huge" in Saskatchewan. Bay notes that metal artists often struggle with limited performance opportunities and radio exposure, despite their contributions to the local culture and economy.
As part of the celebration, SaskMusic organized the inaugural Metal Summit in Saskatoon, a three-day event from February 27 to March 1 combining a festival and a conference. The festival features performances by Saskatchewan metal bands. On Friday, Into Eternity, Dead S— Earth, and Augurium took the stage. Saturday's lineup includes Adolyne, Kelevra, Krash, Man Meat, Reject, Slutty Waist, and Untimely Demise, alternating between the Coors Event Centre and the Green Room, with doors opened between venues for a seamless experience. Bay explained, "We’ll have one band playing on the Coors Event side, and then the next band will be playing in Green Room, and so it’s going to kind of alternate throughout the night." The Saturday evening show is a ticketed all-ages event, with tickets still available as of Friday night, though Bay anticipates potential sell-outs.
The conference portion involves 15 music professionals, including artists and industry leaders, who are hosting workshops and panels. These sessions provide guidance on grants, funding, and performance tips, while facilitating networking connections. Bay stated that the goal is to "help inform some of the local talent, give them directions, give them guidance, give them advice, but also just … connect them with people who are in the industry and who have made success, both here in Canada and internationally." Although registration closed in advance, walk-ins are permitted for Saturday and Sunday.
Overall, the event seeks to create more opportunities for metal artists, as Bay emphasized: "They deserve to have some of the same opportunities as other artists and opportunities that they’re often not able to find."