Primavera Sound Festival postponed until 2021 as coronavirus crisis continues

Primavera Sound Festival organisers have announced that the 2020 event has now been postponed until next year due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

• Read more: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund

The festival was originally meant to take place from June 3-7 in what will be Primavera’s 20th anniversary, but in March it was announced that it was being moved to August 26-30 of this year.

Now, organisers for the Barcelona festival have said that they have had to “make the most difficult decison in its history,” and that they are “devastated and are terribly sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

The festival will now take place June 2-6, 2021.

“Today, Primavera Sound announces the most difficult decision in its history: finally we will not be able to celebrate our 20th anniversary during 2020,” a statement read. “In the face of the evolution of the Covid-19 health crisis, we find ourselves obliged to postpone the next edition of Primavera Sound Barcelona, for reasons of force majeure, until next year: from 2nd to 6th June 2021.

“We are devastated and are terribly sorry for the inconvenience caused, but the health and well-being of our festivalgoers and all of the people involved in the festival has always been and is still our absolute priority. We cannot thank you enough for your patience, love and understanding in this uncertain scenario. We will never forget this.”

See the full statement below:

Bailaremos juntos de nuevo. Muchas gracias por vuestro apoyo. pic.twitter.com/wT0yznWVuB

— primavera_sound (@Primavera_Sound) May 11, 2020

Tickets purchased for this year’s festival will be valid for the rescheduled dates, and those who choose to keep them will be given “special benefits” at the 2021 event. Those wanting a refund will be able to request one from June 3, 2020.

The Strokes, Lana Del Rey, and Tyler, the Creator are among the leading names on this year’s Primavera Sound lineup. The first wave of artists playing Primavera Sound Festival 2021 will be announced on June 3, 2002.

Meanwhile, in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, festivals and concerts will likely not return until autumn next year, an American healthcare expert has predicted.

In a recent roundtable discussion, hosted and transcribed by the New York Times, bioethicist and professor of healthcare management Zeke Emanuel says he has “no idea” how promoters that are rescheduling arts and music events for later this year “think that’s a plausible possibility”.

Read the full video conference transcript here.