The organizers of U.K.’s Download festival have announced the details of Download Pilot, a three-day pilot festival which will be part of the U.K. government’s Event Research Programme.
Set to take place June 18-20 at Donington Park in Leicestershire, the event will have a capacity of 10,000 and be the first of its kind in the bid to return to large-scale live events. It follows Liverpool’s Sefton Park pilot, which saw 5,000 music fans in attendance earlier this month.
Festival Republic‘s Melvin Benn commented: “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.”
Everybody on site will have taken a lateral flow test before entry and received a negative result and will have taken a PCR test too. That means you’ll be able to mosh, dance, hug your fellow Downloaders, and rock out without a mask or social distancing.
Researchers from Public Health England will be overseeing the study. They will be gathering data on transmission risk, the suspension of social distancing and face coverings over several consecutive days. This data will help to ensure that events later this summer can go ahead safely.
There’s certain criteria the science bods need you to fulfil for their research (being over 16 is one example). Anyone who wants to attend will need to read and agree to a consent document first to ensure they understand the research process and meet these criteria before they can buy a ticket.
A press release states that “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.”
Tickets will go on sale from Tuesday, June 1 for all existing Download ticketholders. General sale will then take place from June 3.
Tickets cost £129. There will be no day tickets available, with all festivalgoers expected to camp on-site for the duration of the event.
The festival lineup will be announced on Friday, May 28.
