Download Festival 2020 Scrapped as U.K. Enters Coronavirus Lockdown
Download Festival, Britain’s premier rock and metal fest, will skip this year’s edition due to the global health crisis.
Download Festival, Britain’s premier rock and metal fest, will skip this year’s edition due to the global health crisis.
Slated to take place June 12-14 at Donington Park, Download 2020 was inevitably scrapped as Britain enters a lockdown with strict, enforceable measures in place to limit public gatherings.
“We’ve been closely monitoring this unprecedented situation and it’s become clear that it just isn’t possible for the 2020 festival to go ahead,” reads a statement from organizers. “This decision hasn’t been taken lightly and we’re beyond disappointed, we extend our heartfelt apologies to all of you – we really did try to make this work.”
The brainchild of promoter Andy Copping, Download was launched in 2003 and has expanded into France, the U.S. Spain, Japan and Australia.
The flagship 2020 U.K. event had a bill featuring Iron Maiden, System of a Down, Kiss and others.
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“Please rest assured we will be back next year,” the statement continues.
The two-city Australian leg of Download Festival 2020 was scrapped earlier this month, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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