Festivals and large events

[SilverGlitterBaubles]

What are the thoughts about the likelihood of festivals and large events going ahead this summer? Some have already cancelled due to uncertainty but given recent developments it seems increasingly uncertain. Even if they can do ahead there is no indication of if there will be restrictions on numbers or requirements like negative tests. DD is really looking forward to some events this summer but I fear a few days camping and hanging out with a few thousand people might not be on the cards for now.

Did anyone honestly think that large festivals were going to happen this year?

I didn't personally but the organisers of Reading, Leeds and others obviously did and still do. Lots of young people have bought tickets on the strength of their confidence that they would go ahead and Boris's promises that life would return to normal in June.

I think we just have to wait and see. Most festivals aren’t scheduled until late July - August, by which point we’ll have a far better idea of whether new variants are actually anything to be concerned about, more people will have had their first dose of vaccination, and the majority of the most vulnerable will have had their second.

I’ve bought tickets for several festivals and loads of nightclub parties so I have my fingers crossed.

The key word there is "Boris' promises".....

I don't think they will happen. I had tickets for Brighton Pride and it was cancelled last week.

Guess was always subjects to change and have to plan these things things advance just incase they could go ahead. Wherever they can who knows. Still a few months and anything can change. Hopefully for the better!

I don’t think they will happen. We have tickets for Green Man this year - it’s a medium-sized event, I think about 15k or 20k capacity. We bought the tickets in 2019. I’m not sure I’d be all that comfortable going tbh.

I honestly don't know. The outdoors aspect means the transmission is much lower, but then you have all the shared portaloos and drunk people singing in crowds etc...

We had tickets to a small festival in 2020 (bought in 2019) that has rolled over to September this year. I realised last week that it's the week after DD starts school. So we'll have to miss a day of it if it does go ahead.

Think a few events have started to be cancelled..Brighton Pride..Boom Town..something to do with insurance? From sounds if the event doesn't go ahead there's nothing in place to support it. So think many are cancelling rather then taking that risk.

I'm booked for 20k capacity Beautiful Days (sold out now!) for the beginning of August. One has to doubt it now but we live in hope!

I guess at some point soon they are going to have to make a call either way.

@WeatherwaxLives Agreed re outdoor being low risk but the mass camping, minimal facilities and large groups of mainly unvaccinated people in some instances just doesn't seem to be a great idea.

If everyone attending is vaccinated OR has a negative PCR then why not go ahead.

Cannot stop life forever and more people are being vaccinated all the time.

Not a festival, but still a large outdoor event. I'm due to do the Great North Run again this year. I'm in doubt if it will go ahead, even more so now.

Agree about the outdoors bit and also think we need to start living again. We've had over a year of just existing, its time to have a life again. This is no life.

@NoMLMbots

If everyone attending is vaccinated OR has a negative PCR then why not go ahead.

Cannot stop life forever and more people are being vaccinated all the time.

Agreed but the organisers need to make it clear what the requirements will be. Lots of young people and students planning to go to these events unlikely to be vaccinated by then nor will they have factored in the cost of testing if PCRs are required. Then there's the logistics of festivals managing this.

We are meant to be going to see Tom Jones at Newmarket racecourse in July which maybe should be OK as outdoor and I had high hopes for it but I looked and much of his tour is in indoor places so they probably wouldn't be able to go ahead anyway and maybe not worth doing just the few outdoor ones

@OrangeBananaFish

Not a festival, but still a large outdoor event. I'm due to do the Great North Run again this year. I'm in doubt if it will go ahead, even more so now.

Agree about the outdoors bit and also think we need to start living again. We've had over a year of just existing, its time to have a life again. This is no life.

I agree with you, and I’m registered for the Reading Half Marathon in November which I fully intend to do. Also hoping to do junior park run next week (well, DD anyway), and I will re-start karate indoors next week too. But a festival seems way different to any of these. It’s not the outdoor thing...it’s not even the numbers of people (18k runners at Reading, I think), it’s living for a week with no real sanitation other than portaloos, hand sanitiser and very manky showers that feels a bit weird at the moment. For me anyway.

We've booked for Bestival in late July, and some kids party/daytime clubs. We expected they might not go ahead but if it gets cancelled we get a refund like many of our plans in the past year. We paid a higher price for glamping which has its own toilet/shower block and more space, but most people will be more packed together I guess. DH and I will be fully vaccinated although we will have our young DD who won't be but she's low risk.

Download....again 😭
But it was inevitable really. Maybe 2022 will bring better luck!

I expect some may happen, but fewer than if you had asked me to predict a couple of months ago. Insurance cover costs or availability has stopped some events and may stop a few more.

For me it's all or nothing with a relatively big festival and anyway if we have to wear masks and socially distance then it will effectively mean they are off. It would appear they can't get cancellation insurance so any ploughing ahead are basically taking the risk. Fingers crossed big timely.

Here's the covid guidance from HMG.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-events-guidance-for-local-authorities/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-events-guidance-for-local-authorities

It will be interesting to see if some do in Wales there is a food festival which has a non refundable cancellation fee.It's a fairly small festival and are not talking thousands it will be interesting to see if it goes ahead.Yesterday there was a poppy memorial going on the car park was full so not sure how these events are going on same as fairgrounds

Ah think that guidance link answered most questions I have

Deer shed festival was due to go ahead this year however was cancelled.. they've stated it's due to insurance - I think Leeds, Reading will go the same way tbh.

I can't see any large festivals going ahead this summer restrictions or not I think it's the insurance that's going to cause issues.

Tbh I guess HMG has festivals way down their list of priorities and would probably wish they don't go ahead given that folk travel from all around the country, camp, and then return to their communities. The very definition of a super spreader event.

Melvin Benn (Latitude, Festival Republic) is involved in the pilot events to see what the issues are. I'm a veteran recycler at Glastonbury missing them like heck... but if infections and hospitalizations rise then they are one of the first things that will be culled sadly.

www.nme.com/news/music/festival-republic-planning-to-host-10000-capacity-camping-pilot-event-next-month-2941029