Download Music Festival To Go Ahead In June With Reduced Attendance

Download Music Festival this summer will be taking place, as per recent reports although it has been postponed to March.

The three-day event is being revived in June as a government is willing to hold pilot events to test how Covid-19 transmission occurs in crowds.

Reduced Crowd

The attendance will be significantly reduced – from just 111,000 to 10,000 – but promoters say “mixing will be allowed”.

It comes after some other small test events. Only 15 Covid-19 cases appeared among the 58,000 people who participated in events ranging from the British Awards to the FA Cup finals.

Other Events With No Social Distancing

According to statistics reported in the Evening Standard:

– There were only four Covid cases in all 17 days of the World Snooker Championship

– There are no cases from the British Awards, although the audience was allowed in the hall without masks

– There were only two cases among the 5,900 pop fans at an outdoor music event in Liverpool, and none of them at a reduced volume ball at Wembley Stadium

– Nine cases found among 6,000 revellers packed into Liverpool entertainment venue for two days without masks

Government sources told BBC health editor Hugh Pym that the figures – showing the first results – were accurate.

Venue

However, this work is not complete and other events are being considered, with a final report to be made soon.

The Download pilot will take place in Donington Park, Leicestershire, from 18-20 June.

Under the current performance reduction plan, the government is expected to announce on June 14 whether the fourth step of its roadmap, where all remaining limits have to be removed, is on June 21.

There will be no day tickets for the scaled-back Download, with all attendees expected to camp for the duration of the event. They will also be required to take Covid-19 tests before and after the festival, and provide proof of a negative test to gain entry.

Arrangements

However, they will not be asked to distance themself from the public or be required to wear face masks once on the site.

Tickets go on sale on June 1, priced at £ 120. Importance will be given to fans who had tickets for the first canceled event.

Frank Turner is expected to be in the show, but the full list is yet to be announced.

Melvin Benn, who hosted the festival and also organized a concert in Liverpool, said he was “delighted” to work on the revival of live music.

“The next step will help us to understand and learn the safe return of major festivals without public interference or facial masks over the entire weekend,” he said in a statement.

The full download festival has already been announced in 2022, when Biffy Clyro, Iron Maiden and Kiss have been confirmed as headliners.