Reading and Leeds Festivals to go ahead this year
Organisers have confirmed they're pressing ahead with the events in August
Reading and Leeds music festivals will go ahead this summer according to their organisers. It follows the Government’s announcement of a road map out of lockdown, giving hope that other large events can happen this year as well.
The sister events – known for their mix of rap, rock and pop – are due to take place between August 27 and 29 after both were cancelled in 2020 due to the onset of the pandemic.
According to plans announced on Monday, the Government hopes to lift all remaining restrictions on social contact by June 21 at the earliest.
This would mean larger events can go ahead and nightclubs can finally reopen.
Confirming their 2021 events would go ahead, the official Reading and Leeds Twitter account posted: “Following the Government’s recent announcement, we can’t wait to get back to the fields this summer. LET’S GO.”
Reading will return to the Richfield Avenue venue while Leeds will once again take place in Bramham Park.
Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Post Malone, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Disclosure and Queens Of The Stone Age are all scheduled to headline across the weekend.
Acts including Charli XCX, Yungblud, rapper Jack Harlow, rockers Neck Deep and Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid were recently added to the bill.
The UK festival circuit has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic with its 2020 season effectively wiped out.
In January Glastonbury was cancelled for a second successive year after organisers said they had tried to “move heaven and earth”.
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has launched an inquiry into the future of festivals.
Festivals added £1.76 billion in gross value to the economy in 2019, with almost one in three Brits watching Glastonbury on TV.