Ozzy Osbourne's Detailed Funeral Plan Revealed

Fans will soon gather for a ceremonious send-off to the rock legend that will honor both the reach of his influence and the city where his story began.

A public procession honoring Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne will take place on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Birmingham. Starting at 1 p.m. BST, a hearse will travel along Broad Street to the Black Sabbath Bridge, inviting admirers from around the world to pay their respects.

Authorities in the icon's hometown have worked closely with his family, who have covered all related costs, to coordinate the event, which will precede a private funeral. This will give the Osbournes a chance to mourn the rock star with all those who loved him for years.

The streets will be closed off starting at 7 a.m., with all public transportation rerouted. According to BBC WM's Ed James, the procession, led by local band Bostin' Brass, will pass the Black Sabbath Bridge and the bench.

Hundreds of letters and flowers have been left there by fans, some of whom have traveled from countries like Mexico and Poland. Anyone who wants to attend is encouraged to show up early, but a live stream of the bench will be available online for those who cannot.

Local officials have voiced their support for this event. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, explained that they were going to honor "one of the greatest living legends" of their city.

"He put Birmingham on the map. He put Aston on the map," the lord mayor continued, adding that he spoke with many of Ozzy's fans while standing in line to sign a condolence book days earlier and described their love for him and his family as "immense."

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is also honoring the icon with an exhibition called "Ozzy Osbourne Working Class Hero," inaugurated by Sharon Osbourne a month ago. Additionally, they too have a condolence book for any attendees who want to sign it.

There are several other tributes to the rock star around Birmingham, including the Black Sabbath Mural on Navigation Street and Ozzy the Bull on New Street Station.

Many may also be interested in The Crown pub, which recently went up for sale, as it's considered the place where heavy metal was born and where Black Sabbath held their first gig in the late 1960s.

Meanwhile, the current resident of Ozzy's former childhood home on Lodge Road, Ali Zaman, created an email address to gather messages from fans, which he will then upload to a website free of charge for the world to enjoy.

Furthermore, there's now a petition that has surpassed 45,000 signatures asking to rename Birmingham Airport to Ozzy Osbourne International.

A representative from the airport is considering how to honor the rock icon's contributions to their area, but there's no word on the possible name change yet.

Ozzy died on July 22, aged 76, only weeks after he hosted his farewell gig at Villa Park with the original Black Sabbath members, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, and Geezer Butler. Many celebrities, including Jason Momoa and members of Metallica, attended.

The band members were all given the Freedom of the City, an honor offered by municipalities in the U.K. to valued members of the community or visiting stars and politicians.

Just ahead of this final gig, Ozzy had revealed his retirement plans. During a conversation published in May, the rock legend and Sharon shared their quiet dream of stepping away from the spotlight toward a life of family and peace.

"Yeah. Get some ponies and chickens, and a million dogs. I want to open a dog rescue centre and a horse rescue centre. Scream at the neighbours a couple of times. There you go," she shared.

"I'd love to say 'never say never,' but after the last six years or so…it is time," Ozzy admitted. "I lived on the road for 50-odd years, and I've kind of got used to not picking up my bags and getting on the bus again."

He described becoming more of a homebody and distancing himself from the rock star lifestyle, adding, "I never go out. I never hang out in bars — I don't drink."

The late rock star continued, "But it's time for me to spend some time with my grandkids; I don't want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family."