Download and Isle of Wight festivals cancelled due to coronavirus
Isle of Wight and Download festivals, two of the first major events in the UK’s summer music calendar, have cancelled their 2020 events due to Covid-19.
The Isle of Wight festival organisers said it was “unavoidable given the current status” of the outbreak, while Download offered “heartfelt apologies”.
Ticket holders for each event are entitled to refunds, or to carry over their ticket to 2021. The 70,000-capacity Isle of Wight festival was due to host Lewis Capaldi, the Chemical Brothers, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie and more, from 11-14 June, while the 80,000-capacity Download was to welcome headliners Kiss, Iron Maiden and System of a Down the same weekend.
Music festivals continue to be cancelled due to the outbreak. Adding to Glastonbury, which was cancelled last week, Brighton’s The Great Escape, Birmingham’s Supersonic and Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival in Dundee have all also been called off. Newcastle’s This Is Tomorrow festival has been postponed until 14-16 August from its original date of 22-24 May, as has Liverpool’s Sound City, from 1-3 May to 25-27 September.
Another looming event, All Points East festival – taking place over numerous dates from 22 to 31 May in London’s Victoria Park – has not yet been cancelled, but is expected to be, as is the three-city Dot to Dot festival from 22-24 May. Parklife and Lovebox festivals, due the same weekend as Download and Isle of Wight, have also not yet been called off.
