Sziget 2020

[eFestivals]

3 hours ago, DinosaursLayEggs said:

Sziget themselves are saying that they will refund people if the festival is cancelled. It would be awful PR for them to back out of that after announcing it publicly 

Any festival that can't refund won't exist, so won't be caring much about bad PR.

It's like the airlines and holiday companies who are offering refunds: they can only do that while they've got the money to refund. The money is going to run out with at least some of these companies.

Hopefully Sziget are in the position to fully honour what they've said (I don't know either way), but I'm sure there's plenty of festivals saying that sort of thing who won't be able to honour refunds in full. Most festivals don't have spare cash, and many will be funding the work they're doing for this year's fests on this year's ticket sales - so at least some of the money will have been spent.

[Steve.]

2 hours ago, eFestivals said:

Any festival that can't refund won't exist, so won't be caring much about bad PR.

It's like the airlines and holiday companies who are offering refunds: they can only do that while they've got the money to refund. The money is going to run out with at least some of these companies.

Hopefully Sziget are in the position to fully honour what they've said (I don't know either way), but I'm sure there's plenty of festivals saying that sort of thing who won't be able to honour refunds in full. Most festivals don't have spare cash, and many will be funding the work they're doing for this year's fests on this year's ticket sales - so at least some of the money will have been spent.

Do professional festivals not have insurance against such situations?

[Steve.]

Should’ve googled before asking...

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/music/2020/mar/09/its-a-case-of-holding-your-nerve-festivals-face-coronavirus-insurance-disaster

[eyebrain]

Now that Glasto is canceled Sziget is going to be my only festival this summer, if it goes ahead. The best case scenario is that the crisis is over by then and they are able to steal some better acts from canceled festivals that took place during the beginning of summer. I know it's all very unlikely, but damn.

[thetime]

1 hour ago, eyebrain said:

Now that Glasto is canceled Sziget is going to be my only festival this summer, if it goes ahead. The best case scenario is that the crisis is over by then and they are able to steal some better acts from canceled festivals that took place during the beginning of summer. I know it's all very unlikely, but damn.

Cant see it going ahead to be honest.

The people that go are from all over the world, do they ban those countries that are still having cases? Or just ban over seas people? A.big proportion of the crowd is from UK, Italy, Spain, Holland and Germany.

The gates open for Sziget only 5 weeks after Glastonbury. Then you would think the infrastructure that has to take place as well.

 

[Andrej]

Its great to see people still have hope and that music and festivals are here to unite, but its just not the year guys...no way any festival happens this summer...no matter what month.

[eastynh]

25 minutes ago, Andrej said:

Its great to see people still have hope and that music and festivals are here to unite, but its just not the year guys...no way any festival happens this summer...no matter what month.

I reckon Lolapolooza Berlin will be on.

It is not till September. If anyone can, the Germans can.

[Davidoff]

t maybe all over by August but the knock effects will be massive. Acts will need to rearrange their Tours. I can see lots of acts cancelling that have European Tours as they may not want to just come for one or two festivals. There will be loads off counties that will still have restrictions and people will not want to travel. People will not be wanting to book flights; will the companies still be going will hotels be open in business.

I was positive about it until they cancelled Glasto that’s only 6 weeks before.

[Isaacw77]

They did post just two days ago they still plan on going ahead , if things get better in the next month or so then it could still go ahead

[thetime]

11 minutes ago, Isaacw77 said:

They did post just two days ago they still plan on going ahead , if things get better in the next month or so then it could still go ahead

Glastonbury only released the line up last week. 

[Matt86]

4 hours ago, eastynh said:

I reckon Lolapolooza Berlin will be on.

It is not till September. If anyone can, the Germans can.

I have 3 fest plan : HellFest, Sziget and Rock Am Ring in Germany. I believe the germans' one will be cancel, because its hapenning at the beginning of June ..and I'm very worried about the HellFest in France, middle June ..

But the Sziget is in 5 months, 5 MONTHS ! I believe by May the virus will be almost gone, so honestly , Im confident for the Sziget, and thats the only fest' i'm confident about

[Isaacw77]

Ive noticed they aren’t posting frequently anymore 

[BenG92]

18 hours ago, Matt86 said:

I believe by May the virus will be almost gone

Boy are you in for a shock. 

[Festilitis]

On 3/18/2020 at 7:27 PM, Matt86 said:

I have 3 fest plan : HellFest, Sziget and Rock Am Ring in Germany. I believe the germans' one will be cancel, because its hapenning at the beginning of June ..and I'm very worried about the HellFest in France, middle June ..

But the Sziget is in 5 months, 5 MONTHS ! I believe by May the virus will be almost gone, so honestly , Im confident for the Sziget, and thats the only fest' i'm confident about

It will not be gone, some countries will still have travel bans, bands will not go on tour, it will be difficult to make preparations, installations,... I think it will be a summer without festivals. 

[Matt86]

3 hours ago, Festilitis said:

It will not be gone, some countries will still have travel bans, bands will not go on tour, it will be difficult to make preparations, installations,... I think it will be a summer without festivals. 

you're right, it will not be gone, my mistake. I was thinking "in my country", and I said 'almost' lol..

I still believe August festivals can happen... !

[swelsbyuk]

^{A lot of British events over recent weeks have been postponed to September and October but, in the past couple of days, I'm aware of three separate events which have been postponed until August.} 

^{This makes me the think that organisers might be receiving word that we could be on the downward slope by that time, with mass-gathering restrictions being loosened.}

^{I know Hungary isn't the UK but my bet is that Sziget WILL go ahead. The final say will be the Hungarian government's based on whether they are comfortable with mass-gatherings in early August, of course.}

^{Glastonbury cancelled because it take three months to build all the stages, which meant some workers were due on site next week. Sziget will take much less (can anyone in Budapest advise timescales?) but, even if they take two months, that means workers are not due on site until the beginning of June, which still gives us more than two months to ride this thing out.}

^{I suspect, if it does go ahead, that we will lose most of the US acts and we will, possibly, have a more scaled-down festival with mainly Europe-based acts.}

^{That said, I also think it might be incredibly busy/popular as, inevitably, many of the European festivals scheduled for June and early July will have to be postponed or cancelled, leaving many, many thousands of people looking for a festival, any festival, to ensure 2020 isn't a complete write-off.} 

Edited March 20, 2020 by swelsbyuk

[lukatej]

27 minutes ago, swelsbyuk said:

^{A lot of British events over recent weeks have been postponed to September and October but, in the past couple of days, I'm aware of three separate events which have been postponed until August.} 

^{This makes me the think that organisers might be receiving word that we could be on the downward slope by that time, with mass-gathering restrictions being loosened.}

^{I know Hungary isn't the UK but my bet is that Sziget WILL go ahead. The final say will be the Hungarian government's based on whether they are comfortable with mass-gatherings in early August, of course.}

^{Glastonbury cancelled because it take three months to build all the stages, which meant some workers were due on site next week. Sziget will take much less (can anyone in Budapest advise timescales?) but, even if they take two months, that means workers are not due on site until the beginning of June, which still gives us more than two months to ride this thing out.}

^{I suspect, if it does go ahead, that we will lose most of the US acts and we will, possibly, have a more scaled-down festival with mainly Europe-based acts.}

^{That said, I also think it might be incredibly busy/popular as, inevitably, many of the European festivals scheduled for June and early July will have to be postponed or cancelled, leaving many, many thousands of people looking for a festival, any festival, to ensure 2020 isn't a complete write-off.} 

Your theory makes sense, also check the Werchter thread where one of the organizers commenting the situation with possible plans (for Werchter).

Anyway if the US artists wouldnt appear, that would mean that from the headliners we would have only Dua Lipa and Calvin Harris. Which is still better than No Sziget at all :))

[eFestivals]

10 hours ago, swelsbyuk said:

^{This makes me the think that organisers might be receiving word that we could be on the downward slope by that time, with mass-gathering restrictions being loosened.}

there's a UK festival that's re-arranged for Sept which said it's received advise from the govt like that.

But I really think that's the govt speaking out of turn and being overly-hopeful. Johnson said 12 weeks the other day, but the science bods wouldn't endorse it. 

And while the new measures should see a dip in new cases, the model the UK govt are working to sees a new uncontrollable spike in the autumn if the lockdown is removed.

My take is that they might loosen the measures for a few weeks now and then during the summer, but that won't go as far as allowing the sorts of big events that people travel long distances to attend, and that without a big leap forward (from a vaccine, or whatever) that measures will be in places all summer and beyond.

Italy has 500 people dying every day at the mo, and I reckon the UK will have something similar within a month - which is thousands dead every week. I reckon it'll be difficult in the future when so many have died for the govt to be (essentially) saying "we can relax the measures because only (say) 500 will be dying every week".

[Davidoff]

 

Will there be flights, trains etc

[Davidoff]

2 hours ago, Davidoff said:

Will there be flights, trains etc

It maybe over by June but there will be a chance that it will come back. I am not sure it will go ahead. Will the bands be touring, will the airlines by flying, how will the infrastructure cope be getting back to normal? I can also see people not wanting to travel in this climate.  The demographics of a festival may have little to worry about health wise but its everything. Fingers crossed its back to normal

[Newjem]

44 minutes ago, Davidoff said:

It maybe over by June but there will be a chance that it will come back. I am not sure it will go ahead. Will the bands be touring, will the airlines by flying, how will the infrastructure cope be getting back to normal? I can also see people not wanting to travel in this climate.  The demographics of a festival may have little to worry about health wise but its everything. Fingers crossed its back to normal

Some experts say the borders could be closed for several months, maybe a year, even though the situation will improve. It's really important to get rid of the disease in all European countries, otherwise it will keep coming back in waves. I would say if the governments allow large gatherings, then there will be only festivals with local bands this year.

[#1SzigetFan]

Summer Olympics (originally scheduled for July 22 - August 09) were postponed for 2021, so I guess we won't have Sziget this year either...

[Davidoff]

Athletes need to train and there are trials and qualifying rounds so it all starts in a few months so not that simple. 

I am not convinced it will go ahead and they will announce it a few months. 

Should get my air b and b back but who knows about my flights. 

[Isaacw77]

5 minutes ago, #1SzigetFan said:

Summer Olympics (originally scheduled for July 22 - August 09) were postponed for 2021, so I guess we won't have Sziget this year either...

You never know , many of the athletes would have needed to start training now and been unable to do so. Lets just be patient and see

[johnybegood]

If somebody thinks that in August travelling from one european country to another will be permitted is a really optimistic person.

Edited March 24, 2020 by johnybegood