Festivals this summer

[SilverGlitterBaubles]

What do you think the likelihood is that festivals and large outdoor events planned for this summer will go ahead, especially considering talk now of vaccine passports and another wave? DC has paid a deposit for tickets and I am sceptical about it going ahead.

Dd has two booked this summer.
She and her friends seem confident they will happen, though it may also be wishful thinking. One is a rollover from last year.

I can't decide. I think they'll do anything they can to get them going. I suspect everyone will have to have a LFT beforehand at the very least.

Most festival goers will have only had one vaccine by that point (both mid to late august) but not both.

Honestly? Very little chance, certainly they won't be the same free feeling events. Testing before and after, possibly during. Masks ever present, curtailed numbers. Etc. Can't see the point this year.

I have tickets for 4, all but the one abroad are looking promising. Have first concert tickets for next month and can't wait

Obviously a vax takes around 3w to work too.

Dd isn't bothered about testing. They are encouraged to do them twice weekly when f2f start anyway so used to it. Same with masks.

Think Dd and her friends just want to go and happy to accept compromises in order to do so.

We've got tickets for the Green Man festival, bought in 2019. We usually go for the whole week - you can camp a few days before the festival starts and turn it into a bit of a holiday. DH and I both agreed we don't want to go unless we have both been fully vaccinated. We are both 45, though he'll be 46 by then. I'm a little unsure about it. It happens the weekend before the August bank holiday. It attracts a very broad demographic in terms of age, including a lot of people older than us - as well as families with kids - so it will be interesting to see what happens. We both agreed that we'd not be devastated if it was cancelled again, and in a way that would be easier because it takes away any worry associated with it. I just can't see how it can safely happen when all the festivalgoers would be sharing portaloos and showers, as well as rudimentary washing up facilities. Even things like the taps where we would usually fill up our water bottles or the FRANK water station (where you give them your bottle and they fill it up with chilled filtered water in return for a charity donation) - I can't see how any of this will work without a massive cross-contamination risk.

Really hoping 2022 is totally different as we're hoping to go to Florida and all sorts that year (nothing booked yet!).

Events such as sport with a reduced capacity, yes. Not so confident about music festivals.

I'm sure Old Trafford could fit all the Manchester United supporters from the Manchester area in easily, assuming both of them wish to go to a match.

I've got tickets for Clockstock and Southport both in September and both outdoors.

I did go to a few smaller outdoor events last summer and although it wasn't the same, it was still a good feeling to dance and hear music played.

Big festivals I can't see happening but I do think smaller outdoor events with restrictions will happen as they did last year

@Abraxan

Dd isn't bothered about testing. They are encouraged to do them twice weekly when f2f start anyway so used to it. Same with masks.

Think Dd and her friends just want to go and happy to accept compromises in order to do so.

Same for my DC although I do hope the organisers of these events will call it sooner rather later. I think many know that they are on shaky ground and it's unfair to take peoples money on this basis. Also unfair for people spending money making plans and booking travel etc.

Very little chance, IMO.

Small music festival local to me has already postponed this year's (which would have taken place in July) and rescheduled for summer 2022.

I can't see the Six the Musical tour (which is due to come to a venue near me at the beginning of July) going ahead either, tbh

Or the crafting show/exhibition at the NEC on 24-27 June which is currently taking bookings.... Cannot see that going ahead at all!

Of course teenagers don’t mind testing. They seem to be far more capable of seeing the benefit v task unlike adults who instantly say ‘oh no, I’m not doing that, what about my freedom’ .. your freedom is a quick swab during a bloody pandemic that’s killed millions. 🙄

Youngsters meanwhile just get on with it. A quick swab up the nose & job done. Off they go to a festival or the theatre or the football. It’s really not hard or remotely difficult. Yeh ok, maybe not as accurate as we’d like but far better than nothing at all.

I hope they do go ahead but I’m not convinced. Mostly as hygiene at festivals is severely lacking 🙈

I'm going to Beatherder and it is all going ahead so far. Can't wait to bounce around in a field.