Donington Park is the site for a historical event. As part of the U.K. government’s scientific Events Research Program, Download Pilot will serve as a Petri dish of festivals. The 10,000-capacity camping-only festival took place on June 18-20 and was to help determine the viability of full capacity festivals moving forward and how we can get back there.
Once inside the festival, fans were not required to distance from their co attendees or wear face coverings. They were, however, required to follow existing government Covid protocols and festival guidelines as they traveled to and from Download Pilot. Attendees had to take a lateral flow test on the morning of the event and negative test results were required to enter the festival. As a phase two trial event, all those in attendance were asked to take a PCR test before and after the event in order to provide valuable information as to the safety and viability of a camping festival experience. They also had to provide contact information for tracing to be implemented in the event in case someone tested positive for the virus.
After the cancelling of Download Festival 2021, organizers did not think anything else would happen when the government, in an effort to gather more information, requested a camping festival to be held. Download Pilot is part of the second phase of the government’s scientific Events Research Program. The study will look to build on evidence gathered from the first phase of the program applying its findings on a much greater scale with increased crowd numbers. The attendance at the Download Pilot will provide additional evidence for government, event organizers, and consumers on the logistical and practical considerations of reopening events safely, including multi-day events.
Download Pilot has closely worked with the government to adhere to safety guidelines, and as the first of its kind, will be instrumental in paving the way for the return of large-scale music events and festivals as the U.K. emerges from the past year’s restrictions.
Rock and metal fans were in the front line in providing the necessary information to help get large scale events happening again around the world. Hails!
