FEATURE: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic: How Likely Is the Return of the Summer Festival in 2021?

FEATURE:

 

 

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

zzzz.jpg

IMAGE CREDIT: @OfficialRandL 

How Likely Is the Return of the Summer Festival in 2021?

___________

ALTHOUGH it seems quite ambitious…

news broke today that the Reading and Leeds Festival will go ahead in August. After the Government have given us good news regarding lockdown lifting – all social restrictions may go on 21st June -, there is a hurry to plan gigs and festivals safely. NME provide details of the return of one of the country’s most-popular festivals:

“Reading and Leeds Festival has confirmed that it will be going ahead this summer, after the government outlined plans for England to gradually exit lockdown by the end of June.

Posting on social media, festival organisers told fans they “can’t wait to get back in the fields”, alongside a clip which shared footage of classic performances from past years.

“Reading and Leeds 2021. Following the government’s recent announcement, we can’t wait to get back to the fields this summer. LET’S GO,” they wrote in a tweet.

The festival is set to take place in its traditional August Bank Holiday weekend slot, which this year falls between 27 and 29 August. Headline performances will come from the likes of Liam Gallagher, Stormzy, Post Malone, Catfish & The Bottlemen and Queens of The Stone Age.

It comes after the government confirmed that they will “aim to remove all legal limits on social contact” by June 21. Before that, outdoor hospitality, such as pubs and outdoor dining, could reopen on April 12, with indoor hospitality following on May 17.

The latter date is also the first point where live events could return, however, limited capacities and social distancing may still be required. After June 21, all other restrictions should be removed – however, the roadmap is contingent on vaccinations going to plan, COVID-19 variants not causing new problems, and the infection rate lowering”.

Whilst infection rates are going down and deaths are falling, that is not to say that we will all be able to get together on 21st June. Things can change between now and then; the situation can get worse and we might all have to go back into lockdown. I hope that things will be okay, and it is a shame that festivals like Glastonbury have already announced they will not happen this year. I guess, if there is testing and vaccination passports provided, then people can go to the Reading and Leeds festival. It sounds like the organisers want to get full capacity happening and have everyone together. It seems like a gamble to greenlight the festival when things could scupper optimism in the next few months. I do hope that the festival goes ahead, though it is a bit risky committing when there are no guarantees. Many people will want to get back into a field and enjoy live music once more. If we all behave and infection rates decline every week, then there is no reason why Reading and Leeds cannot happen. I guess it is a combination of doing the sums, reading the news and hoping that we will be in a much better situation by June. With an August date set, many people are gearing up for the first real live music of 2021. If it can happen – even in some reduced form – then it will salvage this year for many people. I just fear that there may be a spike in infections between now and June – that would mean the roadmap is revised and it will be tight regarding festivals. If it things can go ahead regarding Reading and Leeds, then it is going to be…

aaaa.jpg

 PHOTO CREDIT: @aranxa_esteve/Unsplash

A massive relief.

Sam Liddicott