UK Festivals: Updates on Glastonbury 2021 and other music festivals

UK Festivals: Updates on Glastonbury 2021 and other music festivals (Picture: Redferns)

Festival-goers were forced to go without in 2020, as UK festivals had to cancel their annual events due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

There had been hopes that 2021 would have us back in our wellies and braving the rain (or the odd heatwave), shoulder to shoulder in crowds to see our favourite artists and bands descend on stages up and down the country, but as lockdown continues across the UK, it’s looking more and more unlikely.

With strict restrictions still in place, enforcing social distancing and prohibiting from large crowds mixing, festivals in 2021 are now being called in to question, with Coachella reportedly not going ahead and Glastonbury already cancelling yet again.

Music fans are, not surprisingly, now questioning whether any festivals will still go ahead, with the status of some events still unknown as organisers hold out a little longer before making any final decision. Here’s everything we know so far…

Cancelled festivals

As decisions are being made ahead of the 2021 festival season, Glastonbury is the only major festival to have cancelled so far.

Glastonbury has been cancelled for 2021 (Picture: PA)

Glastonbury: Cancelled

Glastonbury 2021 has officially been cancelled, with festival bosses Michael and Emily Eavis confirming the news in a statement shared on Twitter that revealed they’ll instead be taking an ‘enforced fallow year’.

‘With great regret, we must announce that this year’s Glastonbury Festival will not take place, and that this will be another enforced fallow year for us,’ it read.

‘In spite of our efforts to move Heaven & Earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen this year. We are so sorry to let you all down.’

It’s said that Glasto may go virtual instead and livestream sets for fans.

Are festivals happening in 2021?

Major festivals such as Latitude, Isle of Wight and Reading & Leeds have already announced their lineups for 2021, suggesting they are banking on going ahead as planned, with official updates still yet to drop.

Radio 1 Big Weekend: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 28 May – 29 May, Dundee

Line-up: TBA

A BBC spokesperson told Metro.co.uk, there is currently no update on plans for Radio 1 Big Weekend’s 2021 event.

Radio 1 Big Weekend it yet to update fans (Picture: Redferns)

Camp Bestival: Going ahead

Planned dates and location: 29 July – 1 August, Lulworth Cove

Line-up: Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Becky Hill, Kelis, Friendly Fires

A spokesperson for Camp Bestival told Metro.co.uk: ‘Rest assured we’re continuing to work behind the scenes to get ready for Camp Bestival this summer and hope to have more news for you soon. In the meantime, stay safe.

Isle of Wight: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 17 June – 20 June, Seaclose Park

Line-up: Lewis Capaldi, Lionel Richie, Snow Patrol, Duran Duran

Isle of Wight festival has already dropped its 2021 lineup (Picture: Getty)

The following festivals are ran by Festival Republic, who are yet to share an update on whether they will be going ahead:

Reading & Leeds: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 27 Aug – 29 Aug, Richfield Avenue and Bramham Park

Line-up: Stormzy, Post Malone, Liam Gallagher and Lewis Capaldi

Latitude: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 22 July – 25 July, Henham Park

Line-up: Lewis Capaldi, Bastille, First Aid Kit, Snow Patrol

Download: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 4 June – 6 June, Donington Park

Line-up: Kiss, Biffy Clyro, System Of A Down, A Day To Remember

Wireless: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 2 July – 4 July, Finsbury Park

Line-up: TBA

Electric Picnic: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 3 Sep – 5 Sep, Stradbally Hall

Line-up: TBA

It’s still not known if Lovebox will be going ahead in 2021 (Picture: WireImage)

Lovebox: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 11 June – 13 June, Gunnersbury Park

Line-up: TBA

Creamfields: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 26 Aug – 29 Aug, Daresbury

Line-up: Afrojack, Alesso, Jax Jones, Martin Garrix, Pete Tong

Parklife: Going ahead

Planned dates and location: 11 Sep – 12 Sep, Heaton Park

Line-up: TBA

A statement reads on the Parklife official website: ‘We’re now looking ahead to 2021, and a return to the fields and good times we all love. It’s a party 2 years in the making that we all deserve. It’s why with that in mind that we have decided to move next year’s festival to the new dates of 11th-12th September, so we can be sure of the good times coming. A huge lineup is almost ready, that we can’t wait to show you in January. Trust us when we say it’s going to be worth the wait.’

Some organisers are yet to make a call on their 2021 events (Picture: WireImage)

SW4: Unknown

Planned dates and location: 27 Aug – 29 Aug, Clapham Common

Line-up: TBA

All Points East: TBA

Planned dates and location: TBA

Line-up: TBA

Boomtown: Going ahead

Planned dates and location: 11 Aug – 15 Aug, Matterley Estate

Line-up: TBA just before festival

Statement on Boomtown’s website reads: ‘Due to the ongoing and ever-changing strategy around COVID-19, the 2021 festival season is still unknown in terms of what kind of events will be permitted. At time of writing (21st Jan 2021) we are continuing to plan for the event in August.’