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

Anything in very early 2021 probably won't go ahead but it's practically a certainty at this point that mass vaccination will be well underway by spring. Life will be pretty much back to normal within a month or two of that. Honestly, we're past the halfway point with this shit. It's very possible that the worst is yet to come as this winter will possibly be the worst we've ever experienced en masse. But there is a very definite light at the end of the tunnel.

@WouldBeGood

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

I know, right? I'm so over it now.

I agree, I can't see them going ahead next year. The sheer amount of organisation and pre-paying for the organisers means that they'd have to be several months 'clear' prior to the event for them to be feasible.

I'm trying to remain positive about next year, I should be at a festival now

@AlternativePerspective

Do you propose the fading out of parks/benches as i'm pretty sure more teenagers get alcohol poising on a friday night sharing a bottle of white lightening.

Festivals are expensive, to get tickets and inside. There's not that many under 18's that go in groups and when they're in they're drinking less they would as they work out that £5 a pint and getting ID'd they have to make that bottle of vodka last.

Anyho, the main demographic is 20-30, and they're bloody fun. A wet wipe wash never killed anyone and neither did sleeping in a tent!

I hope festivals go ahead next year as thousands rely on them for employment and I can't wait to go on someones shoulders listening to my favourite artists!

We had tickets for a festival over August Bank Holiday weekend, it's been postponed til nest August. I'm worried about gigs in general, not just festivals. I have tickets for Doves at Brixton Academy next spring and I'm already thinking that's unlikely...5000 indoors in a standing crowd? Not gonna happen..

One of my oldest friends is a singer who has had her tour postponed twice. She hasn't earned anything this year and is worried about losing her house. I'm really scared for her because a socially distanced gig isn't going to be cost effective for smaller acts.

I really can't see festivals happening either OP. I would love to be wrong though. Trying not to think too far ahead into the future and go a week at a time tbh - otherwise all the 'what ifs' get overwhelming!

The balancing act is going to be how to at least break even while having numbers massively reduced and ensuring the atmosphere and stuff is still worth paying extra for.

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.

Why have people taken covid as a sign it's going to turn the world into what they want?

The smaller family festivals (we had one booked) are being rolled over to next year. It is described as small but they are gradually getting more and more bookings, this year with the most ever. It is still going on next year but I am assuming Glastonbury will be limited or called off.

For smaller events they can wait and see, for the huge ones they will want to make a decision by around Christmas. I suspect the Glastonbury organisers will be directly in contact with the relevant government department already. If the vaccine is successful by June then there's a possibility that it will be rolled out to sufficiently to allow events to proceed without social distancing, a huge if. I'm going to a live event next month that is proceeding, with social distancing in place so some will happen I'm sure

@GingerAndTheBiscuits - Bearded Theory?

@AlternativePerspective - absolutely not true at all. There's such a thing as an alternative perspective and then there's just plain wrong! Festivals are not full of people passed out or out of control. And do you think people would keep returning if they were asked to stay in unhealthy conditions? Stadium concerts just don't compare.

I’d guess that the smaller ones in late summer 21 will go ahead. Trouble with Glastonbury is its huge, early, and must need a no go decision six months in advance at least without a lot of money being lost. I’m not convinced the future will be certain enough in Dec/Jan for it to go ahead. Hopefully smaller festivals which have lower overheads can leave it until later to make a decision, by which time things might be different.

@alibongo5 yep! You too?

@GingerAndTheBiscuits - I was planning to go but hadn't actually bought tickets when lockdown started - I was waiting to hear whether a friend was coming with me but had decided I would go on my own if she wasn't. I have been the last two years and love it. Will be definitely going next year if it's on.

I've actually got tickets for a socially distanced festival in Shropshire in September - Beardy Folk - no idea what it'll be like. And I'm not that fond of folk music but desperate times call for desperate measures!

@alibongo5 it was our first year last year and we loved it, my parents’ first festival and they loved it too! I’m really hoping for a major turnaround covid wise by May as I’m not sure how confident our group will feel going to it if things stay as they are.

@LittleRa

Looks amazing. Did you go, how was it atmosphere wise?

I’m sure when the big events are able to open again the demand will be massive. The run time probably makes 2021 questionable for the big ones

I don't think we will see events like this again in our lifetime unless a vaccine is made available worldwide.