Eventim Live has announced the cancellation of seven of its festivals again this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
German festivals Deichbrand, Hurricane, Southside, Rock am Ring, Rock im Park and SonneMondSterne, as well as Swiss festival Greenfield have been called off due to the ongoing uncertainty about infection rates and mutations.
The decision was announced today (Wednesday) by the promoter network of German ticketing and live entertainment firm CTS Eventim. Eventim Live is a pan-European network of more than 35 promoters in 15 countries.
Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, chief executive of CTS Eventim, said: ‘We regret these cancellations very much and share the disappointment of everyone involved. But precedence must, of course, be given to safeguarding and protecting the health of fans, performers, festival teams and partners.
“However, it is also clear that this continuing uncertainty is further exacerbating the dramatic financial situation in which the live music industry finds itself. We are working on many levels to ensure that live culture can return to the stage as quickly and safely as possible.”
Eventim assured ticket holders that they will be given an opportunity to attend the 2022 rescheduled festivals.
Combined, Rock im Park and Rock am Ring are the largest music festivals held in Germany and one of the largest in the world with a total attendance of over 150,000.
Frithjof Pils, managing director of Eventim Live, said: “2021 was actually meant to be the summer of reunions, and festival organisers have invested a great deal of time and energy in sanitary and infection control concepts to make that possible.
“But given the persistent epidemiological situation and the associated restrictions in force, we have had to accept with a heavy heart that festivals of this magnitude are not yet feasible at present. We are therefore focusing on the 2022 festival summer and want to make it unforgettable for all of us.”
Image: Andreas Lawen, Fotandi / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Edited for size
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