To think there’s no way festivals are going ahead in 2021

[Midlifelights]

Trying to be positive as I have tickets for a couple of festivals carried over to next year including Glastonbury.

Aibu to think there is no way that they are going to happen next year unless the virus disappears as quickly as it arrives?

Glasto has 200,000 people on the site

I'm sure I read somewhere that Glastonbury has already been cancelled for next year.

No, Glasto hasn’t been cancelled yet as they would have let those of us with tickets know but i suspect it’s news thats coming soon

God, I’m fed up of this, they can’t cancel all pleasure forever, surely?

I mean I’m fed up of no fun ever, not your post @Midlifelights 😃

Who knows what will happen? I'm keeping positive for next year.

@Ginfordinner

I'm sure I read somewhere that Glastonbury has already been cancelled for next year.

Not yet, but Michael Eavis has said in an interview that it’s looking unlikely,

I am hopeful that a vaccine might be approved around the end of the year. The question is then how fast that can be rolled out and what level/length of protection I
it provides. I wouldn't write off next summer yet but we shall have to wait and see.

We have tickets for a festival in May, that was postponed from this May to September and then cancelled altogether. We rolled our tickets over to support the festival which is relatively small but don’t necessarily have any confidence it will go ahead. Especially as singing is meant to be a high risk activity!

@GingerAndTheBiscuits

We have tickets for a festival in May, that was postponed from this May to September and then cancelled altogether. We rolled our tickets over to support the festival which is relatively small but don’t necessarily have any confidence it will go ahead. Especially as singing is meant to be a high risk activity!

Neighbourhood?

I think if they do go ahead they will be very different, and I think for the bigger ones it will be unworkable more than the smaller ones.

We went to watch an outdoor DJ set a few weeks back where we had our own table and table service, had to stay at the table Area unless going to the Toilets. All very well done and made for a great day out BUT that was limited to probably less than 100 people whereas before that area could have held 4 times more easily.

I think it’s unlikely to go ahead as with other events with large crowds until there is a vaccine and the majority of us have been vaccinated

They were quite adamant it was going ahead this year for sometime and probably will be for next year too

Tbh I think these kinds of gatherings with quite so many people will likely become a thing of the past. Not just because of COVID, but there are always all manner of issues, teens and alcohol poisoning, drugs, people staying in unhealthy conditions. I think that COVID will be an ideal opportunity to just scrap them altogether and stick to arena/stadium concerts once things are more stable.

YANBU OP. I too have a Glasto ticket rolled over to next year, but I’m not hopeful about it.

I have two festivals next year (June and August) rolled over from this year, three theatre visits and three gigs. I currently hold out no hope of them happening.

@AlternativePerspective

Tbh I think these kinds of gatherings with quite so many people will likely become a thing of the past. Not just because of COVID, but there are always all manner of issues, teens and alcohol poisoning, drugs, people staying in unhealthy conditions. I think that COVID will be an ideal opportunity to just scrap them altogether and stick to arena/stadium concerts once things are more stable.

No way. Festivals are more popular than ever. The biggest one I go to has 12,000 people at it. All have flushing toilets, showers and are pristine. No alcohol poisoning, never known a single issue with unsanitary conditions, loads of families having a great time. It's more civilised than most campsites!

“I think that COVID will be an ideal opportunity to just scrap them altogether and stick to arena/stadium concerts once things are more stable”

People love festivals - it’s why it’s so hard to get tickets to Glasto. I don’t really like stadium gigs as find them too clinical whereas I love festivals, particularly glasto, as it’s so full of colour and life and joy!

@WouldBeGood I’m fed up of it too! I want some fun!!

I think they’ll be keen to get the football back on in front of crowds and then see what happens from there. I can’t see them not having supporters in stadiums all season. Surely if that happens then festivals will happen too....

Bet you're a blast at parties

Whoops meant to reply to @AlternativePerspective

I couldn't see a big crowded festival like Glastonbury going ahead. But smaller ones with lower capacity could probably run. Theatres are talking about reopening, so I don't see why not. Ticket prices would be even more insane than usual.

Festivals do seem to be falling out of favour nowadays. The big ones like Glastonbury and Reading seem to do well, but a lot of smaller ones have died off. I could see a lot of event organisers just not bothering as the extra measures would be too much hassle.

Are you mad, there's hundreds and hundreds of festivals in this country alone each yeah. They most definitely are not dying off! 😂

I hope there'll be some on next year, nothing is better for the soul than dancing in a field with lots of happy people.

Here in Newcastle we have been having socially distanced festivals/outdoor concerts with individual viewing platforms/areas and drinks and food delivered to you, see article here on the first one that took place earlier this month:

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/review-sam-fender-newcastle-virgin-18767984

Not just because of COVID, but there are always all manner of issues, teens and alcohol poisoning, drugs, people staying in unhealthy conditions.

What a weird and narrow view of festivals. There are plenty of lovely ones with clean toilets and happy camping and no out of control teenagers. They aren't all Reading!

OP you are being terribly pessimistic. I'll be buying tickets for one of the nice ones as soon as I can.

Yeah there's no way they would be scrapped forever, new ones would just start popping up because a lot of people are very keen for them. A lot of my friends are planning to go to as many festivals as possible next summer to make up for what they missed this year. Obviously they could end up being disappointed again, but personally I cannot wait to jump around in a muddy field surrounded by thousands of other people.

Perhaps some festivals will go ahead with a smaller version of what they usually have. Cancellations this summer would have been sprung upon them when a lot of plans were already in place, but maybe next year is being planned from scratch with all this in mind?

Some photos of what it’s like