Denmark’s Roskilde Festival Cancelled Due To The Coronavirus Crisis
Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and The Strokes would have headlined in what should have been the festival’s 50th year.
Denmark’s Roskilde Festival has announced the cancellation of the 2020 event in response to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Organisers had been planning to stage the 50th edition of the festival this summer from 27 June 27 to 4 July, with the four main days of music falling between 1 and 4 July.
The likes of Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator and The Strokes were all set to headline on an impressive bill. However, Roskilde’s organisers have now had to take the difficult decision to cancel their 2020 festival as a result of the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus worldwide.
In a statement issued on their Instagram page last night, 6 April, organisers pointed to instructions recently issued by the Danish authorities prohibiting large gatherings in the country until August 31 in a bid to tackle the spread of the virus.
“Though we feared it would happen, we kept the hope high that it wouldn’t end this way,” the statement, which you can read below, continues. “However, the risk of getting infected with the COVID-19 virus is too large when many people are gathered, and that consideration is by far the most important.
“Roskilde Festival no. 50 was meant to be something very special. We were looking forward to celebrating it with you. We have worked hard and made an extraordinary effort. We know that your expectations have been sky high too.
“Together we have crossed our fingers and held our breaths in the hope that the situation would change for the better and in due time for us to meet this summer. Unfortunately, that wasn’t supposed to happen after all. Roskilde Festival no. 50 must now wait until 2021.”
Ticketholders for 2020 will be able to transfer their ticket to Roskilde Festival 2021, while refunds are also available. Roskilde say that they will announce details of that scheme “as soon as the solution is ready. We kindly ask for your understanding regarding this.” Visit the festival’s official website for further information.
Roskilde 2020 is the latest major festival to be cancelled or rescheduled as a result of coronavirus, with the likes of Coachella, Glastonbury and the Isle of Wight Festival all being affected by this year’s outbreak.
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