Download Festival announces three-day Pilot event with camping for June 2021
There will be no masks and no social distancing at the 10,000 capacity event
Last updated 26th May 2021
Download Festival has announced a three-day, 10,000 capacity, camping only event called Download Pilot for next month as part of the second phase of the Government’s scientific Events Research Programme.
The very special one-off event from Festival Republic takes place on the sacrosanct turf of Donington Park on the weekend of Friday 18th to Sunday 20th June 2021 and Download Pilot will be the first major camping event in the government-run pilots.
There will be no masks on site and no social distancing and, importantly, attendees will be able to mosh to their brain’s content.
Everyone will be required to take a PCR test both before and after Download Pilot and register with NHS Test and Trace so crucial information can be gathered on the impact of such events.
Download Pilot line-up and tickets:
Download Pilot’s full line-up will be announced by Kerrang! Radio this coming Friday (28th May).
Tickets costing £120 (plus booking fee) will go on sale to existing Download Festival 2022 ticketholders first on Tuesday 1st June as a thank you for their loyalty. Any remaining general sale tickets will be available to buy from Thursday 3rd June 2021.
There will be no day tickets available, and ticketholders will be required to camp for the duration of the three-day rock extravaganza.
Download Pilot follows government-run pilot events in Liverpool in late April and early May.
Just two people tested positive after the 5,000-capacity the Blossoms headlined event at Sefton Park, while only nine cases were found among 6,000 clubbers who attended Circus’ club night The First Dance over the two nights.
Scientists and Liverpool Public Health officials say that with just 11 positive tests from 11,000 people, the pilot events did not cause any detectable spread of Covid-19 across the region.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, says: “Following the huge success of our Sefton Park event, we are delighted to contribute to Phase II of the Government’s Events Research Programme with the creation of the first three-day camping festival which will be the Download Pilot at Donington Park.
“This massive next step will help us understand and study the safe return of large-scale festivals with no social distancing or facemasks over a full weekend… the return of the full festival experience we have all been waiting for and a much-needed return to work for musicians, backstage crew, caterers and many more that form part of the UK’s exemplary live music industry.”
Giving fans more information about Download Pilot, Festival Republic said of the Government’s scientific Events Research Programme:
‘This ground-breaking study will look to build on the evidence base gathered from the successful first phase and apply findings on a greater scale with greater crowd numbers than before. The attendance at the Download Pilot will provide additional evidence for government, event organisers, and consumers on the logistical and practical considerations of reopening events safely, including multi-day events.
‘Working closely with the Government to adhere to safety guidelines, this Download Pilot, as the first 10,000 capacity camping festival event, will play an important role in paving the way for the return of large-scale music events and festivals as the UK emerges from the past year’s restrictions. As a government scientific Events Research Programme event, festivalgoers will need to consent to take part and must be over 16. There will be no day tickets available with all festivalgoers expected to camp on-site for the duration of the event.’
They add: ‘Whilst this is not Download Festival and will be a much smaller scale, Festival Republic are proud to continue their Gold standard (Attitude Is Everything) accessibility and inclusion services, with dedicated accessibility campsite and facilities.
‘Whilst festivalgoers will not be socially distanced or required to wear face coverings once inside the festival, they will be required to follow existing Government guidance when travelling to and from Donington Park and adhere to rules set out by the festival organisers. Attendees must have proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter the festival.
‘As part of the wider scientific research on the trial events, the Download Pilot attendees will also be asked to take a PCR test before and after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of the festival camping experience, reduced social distancing and the removal of non-pharmaceutical interventions like face coverings. They will also have to provide contact details for NHS Test and Trace to ensure everyone can be traced in the event of an audience member receiving a positive test after the event.’
Headlined by KISS, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro, the main Download Festival will be held at Donington Park from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th June 2022.
Find out more information about Download Pilot here.
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Download Festival headliners through the years:
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2003
If you're going to return rock and metal to its rightful home of Donington Park, then it only seems right and proper to get the UK's biggest heavy metal act to kick things off. And kick off they did!
Audioslave: Download Festival 2003
Proving that supergroups still remained a popular draw, this fusion of Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and the instrumental wing of Rage Against The Machine transcended their original bands to forge an identity wholly their own.
Download Festival 2003 poster
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2004
Promoting their second album, 'Meteora', Linkin Park brought their fusion of heavy metal and rap when they headlined the main stage on the opening night of Download 2004.
Metallica: Download Festival 2004
Having made "secret" mid-afternoon appearance on the second stage with no soundcheck the previous year, the behemoth that is Metallica took its rightful place at the head of the table. Despite Lars Ulrich being rushed to hospital minutes beforehand, Metallica ploughed on with their set with Slayer's Dave Lombardo, Slipknot's Joey Jordison and their drum technician, Flemming Larsen, filling in for Lars.
Download Festival 2004 poster
Feeder: Download Festival 2005
So overjoyed was he at Feeder's reception from the crowd, the band's singer-guitarist Grant Nicholls smashed his Fender Jazzmaster. We hate to think what he'd have done if it had gone badly.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2005
The origin of the species, Black Sabbath pretty much invented heavy metal with their eponymous debut album before refining it throughout the 70s. You can call this one a homecoming.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2005
As one of the most important metal bands of the 90s and beyond, System Of A Down are genuine gamechangers and worthy headliners of this celebrated event.
Download Festival 2005 poster
Tool: Download Festival 2006
Promoting their fourth album, '10,000 Days', Tool displayed an effortless ability to take the main stage and own it.
Metallica: Download Festival 2006
Returning to Download for their second headline slot and third appearance overall, Metallica celebrated the 20th anniversary of 'Master Of Puppets' by the playing the album in full. Fortunately Lars was in good health this time around.
Guns N’Roses: Download Festival 2006
After threatening to walk off after bottles were thrown onstage, both band and audience settled in for some hard rocking, with Axl Rose declaring, "I'm actually having quite a good time now! I couldn't have said that an hour ago!"
Download Festival 2006 poster
My Chemical Romance: Download Festival 2007
At arguably the highest point of their career, My Chemical Romance brought 'The Black Parade' to Donington Park.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2007
Riding high on the back of their third album, 'Minutes To Midnight', Linkin Park returned to Donington Park for their second Download headlining set.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2007
With the end in sight for their massive 'A Matter Of Life And Death' tour, Iron Maiden returned to the UK for the first time since the previous December for their second Download headliner.
Download Festival 2007 line-up poster
Kiss: Download Festival 2008
Playing an epic 20-song set, Kiss brought their spectacular live show to this side of the Atlantic. Though perhaps the less said about Gene Simmons' bass solo, the better.
The Offspring: Download Festival 2008
The only punk band to have headlined the Download festival, The Offspring brought the pogo the headbangers. There's probably a song title there…
Download Festival 2008 line-up poster
Faith No More: Download Festival 2009
Returning for their first live shows in 11 years, Faith No More served to confirm just how much they'd been missed.
Slipknot: Download Festival 2009
Slipknot's first headline appearance at Download would also be their last UK performance with bassist Paul Gray before his death in 2010. Their performance was later released as the live DVD, '(sic) nesses'.
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2009
Since emerging from Sheffield as part of the New Wave Of British Metal, Def Leppard have gone on to become one of the biggest bands on the planet. Worthy headliners, indeed…
Download Festival 2009 line-up poster
AC/DC: Download Festival 2010
The only band to have brought their own stage to the Download festival, AC/DC delivered their full stadium show to create one of the most memorable headline sets ever.
Rage Against The Machine: Download Festival 2010
Bringing the revolution to Download, Rage Against The Machine detonated in combustible and explosive style just six months after claiming the UK Christmas number one with 'Killing In The Name'.
Aerosmith: Download Festival 2010
Headlining a day of torrential rain, classic rock overlords Aerosmith brought a touch of glamour to the otherwise sodden environs of Download.
Download Festival 2010 line-up poster
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2011
Having clearly enjoyed themselves just two years earlier, the NWOBHM juggernaut that is Def Leppard returned for their second Download headliner.
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2011
SOAD returned for another round of headline action at the Download festival.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2011
Slotted in between the release of 2010's 'A Thousand Suns' and 2012's 'Living Things' album, Linkin Park made their third headlining appearance at Download.
Download Festival 2011 line-up poster
The Prodigy: Download Festival 2012
Fusing heavy metal with techno, The Prodigy lit up the Download festival after a wet start forced the cancellation of some acts.
Metallica: Download Festival 2012
For their third Download headliner, the metal titans that are Metallica elected to play the whole of their 1991 eponymous album – in reverse order.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2012
Despite being treated for cancer, Tony Iommi played as strongly as ever as Black Sabbath went through some of their biggest career highlights including 'War Pigs', 'Children Of The Grave' and 'Paranoid'.
Download Festival 2012 line-up poster
Slipknot: Download Festival 2013
Iowa's masked metallers Slipknot embarked on the The Memorial World Tour in honour of their late bassist Paul Gray, who died in 2010. As the scene of Slipknot's last UK appearance with him, calling in at Download was only right and fitting.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2013
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first Donington headline slot at Monsters of Rock as part of their 'Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour', the metal institution that is Iron Maiden returned to this hallowed ground.
Rammstein: Download Festival 2013
Does it get any more explosive than Teutonic titans Rammstein? Probably not, and so it be proved as Donington Park ignited in flames.
Download Festival 2013 line-up poster
Avenged Sevenfold: Download Festival 2014
Hot on the heels of their first transatlantic chart-topping album, 'Hail To The King', Avenged Sevenfold hit Download with the force of a Viking raiding party.
Linkin Park: Download Festival 2014
Following in the footsteps of bands such as Metallica revisiting their landmark records, Linkin Park played their debut album, 'Hybrid Theory', in full.
Aerosmith: Download Festival 2014
Back for their second Download festival headliner, Aerosmith brought this year's event to a spectacular close.
Download Festival 2014 line-up poster
Slipknot: Download Festival 2015
You can't keep a good band down as Slipknot return for their third Download festival headline slot.
Muse: Download Festival 2015
Playing and headlining Download festival for the first time, Muse's frontman Matt Bellamy – a man fond of conspiracy theories and fearful of state surveillance – lashed out the facial recognition software that had been employed the constabulary: "F*** Leicestershire police for scanning your faces!"
Kiss: Download Festival 2015
Was the police's facial recognition software needed for Kiss? And would they be able to tell the difference between say, Tommy Thayer and Ace Frehley?
Download Festival 2015 line-up poster
Rammstein: Download Festival 2016
It may have been one of the wettest Download festivals ever – perhaps it should have been re-named 'Downpour'? – but Rammstein still managed to bring their explosive live show.
Black Sabbath: Download Festival 2016
Embarking on their 'The End' farewell tour, Black Sabbath called in for one last time at the home of heavy metal.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2016
Topping the charts on 24 countries with their epic 'Book of Souls' album, Iron Maiden delivered the goods once more at Download.
Download Festival 2016 line-up poster
System Of A Down: Download Festival 2017
A third headline appearance for System Of A Down – no mean feat for and that hasn't releases an album since 2005's 'Hypnotize'.
Biffy Clyro: Download Festival 2017
Celebrating their second No. 1 album in the shape of 'Ellipsis', Biffy Clyro headlined Download for the first time.
Aerosmith: Download Festival 2017
Aerosmith have got to be doing something right if they've been asked back for their third Download headline appearance.
Download Festival 2017 line-up poster
Avenged Sevenfold: Download Festival 2018
Dedicating a cover of Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' to the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, Avenged Sevenfold also played a blistering career-spanning set.
Guns N’ Roses: Download Festival 2018
'Epic" doesn't even begin to it as Axl Rose reunited with guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagen for a mammoth three-hour set. And yes, they really did cover Glen Campbell's 'Witchita Lineman'.
Ozzy Osbourne: Download Festival 2018
Amazingly, it's Ozzy Osbourne's first solo headline slot at Download that sees him delivering the hits and a few dips into the Black Sabbath back catalogue.
Download Festival 2018 line-up poster
Def Leppard: Download Festival 2019
Sheffield's prodigal sons topped the line-up for a third time at Download 2019 where they performed their seminal 'Hysteria' album in its glorious entirety, alongside other gems.
Slipknot: Download Festival 2019
A decade on from their first bill-topping performance, Slipknot headlined Download Festival for a fourth time in June 2019 in support of their sixth studio album 'We Are Not Your Kind'
Tool: Download Festival 2019
The Los Angeles alternate metallers closed Download Festival 2019 with an audio-visual spectacular!
Download Festival 2019 line-up poster
Download Pilot line-up
The one-off Download Pilot line-up featured 40 UK based acts with Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Enter Shikari and Bullet For My Valentine headlining. The 10,000 capacity event was held in June 2021 as part of the second phase of the Government's scientific Events Research Programme during the Covid pandemic.
KISS: Download Festival 2022
After three long years away, Download Festival returned in June 2022 with KISS topping the bill on the Friday night as part of their End of the Road World Tour. Whether it's their last ever UK show remains to be seen.
Iron Maiden: Download Festival 2022
The mighty Iron Maiden brought their spectacular Legacy of the Beast World Tour to Donington Park in June 2022. The Saturday night performances marked the fifth time Maiden had headlined Download Festival.
Biffy Clyro: Download Festival 2022
Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro brought Download Festival 2022 with a hit-packed set in front of a sparsely-packed field.
Download Festival 2022 line-up
Download Festival 2023 line-up
Taking place over four days for the very first time, the 20th anniversary of Download Festival in 2023 was headlined by Metallica (twice), Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot.
Metallica: Download Festival 2023
The biggest metal band in the world, Metallica brought their mind-blowing M72 Tour stage setup to Donington, playing two completely different sets on Thursday and Saturday respectively.
Bring Me The Horizon: Download Festival 2023
After years of steadily larger arena tours and headline slots, the much-mooted Bring Me The Horizon finally stepped up to the headline position on Friday 9th June at Download Festival 2023. They brought a shedload of pyro, and a shedload of joy to their army of fans.
Slipknot: Download Festival 2023
Returning for their fifth headline slot at Download, the Iowa metal machine chewed up the adoring Sunday night crowd and spat them out, with a ferocious barrage of riffs.
Download Festival 2024
Headlined by Queens of the Stone Age (Friday 14th June), Fall Out Boy (Saturday 15th June) and Avenged Sevenfold (Sunday 16th June), Download Festival returns to its traditional three-day format following the extended four-day 20th anniversary event last year. Other bands performing across the weekend include Black Stone Cherry, Pantera, The Struts, Tom Morello, Those Damn Crows, Royal Blood, Kerry King, Mr. Bungle, Corey Taylor, Limp Bizkit, Florence Black, and many more.
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