Knotfest is a music festival created in 2012 by American nu metal band Slipknot and their longtime manager and CEO of 5B Artist Management, Cory Brennan. The event has been held both as a touring festival and a destination festival in several countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Australia, Colombia, France and Chile. Aside from Slipknot, Knotfest has featured a diverse alumni of past performers including Deftones, Marilyn Manson, Lamb of God, Bring Me the Horizon, Prong, Deadly Apples, In This Moment, Amen, Butcher Babies and Prayers.

Slipknot is an American heavy metal band formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995 by percussionist Shawn Crahan, former vocalist Anders Colsefni and bassist Paul Gray. After several lineup changes in its early years, the band settled on nine members for more than a decade: Crahan, Gray, Joey Jordison, Craig Jones, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Slipknot is well known for its attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and energetic and chaotic live shows.