No fear: New UK festivals set to launch in 2021

Several brand new UK festivals have been announced for summer 2021, despite the festival sector’s uncertain future.

Creation Records boss Alan McGee has announced the launch of Creation Day, featuring headliners Happy Mondays and Editors.

McGee has got his fingers crossed for spring, with the event set to take place at Wolverhampton’s West Park between May 29-30, presented by The City of Wolverhampton Council, Creation Management and Toura Toura Festivals.

The bill will feature a number of acts signed to McGee’s Creation 23 label, including Marquis Drive and The Illicits, alongside the likes of Sleeper, Cast and Friendly Fires.

Presale tickets are available from 21 October and go on general sale on 23 October, priced at £110 for the weekend and £55 for each day. Details are subject to change, depending on government restrictions around coronavirus developing.

Elsewhere, Steve Yeardsley, MD of technical production company OneBigStar, is hoping to launch Unlocked festival at Newark Showground from 18-20 June 2021.

The festival has stated that fans will be entitled to refunds should it be cancelled due to Covid-19.

The 10,000-capacity festival has already confirmed acts including Ministry of Sound Classical, The Feeling, Craig Charles, Inner City and Republica.

The site will comprise three stages – a main stage, a big top, and a late-night venue – along with a traditional funfair and camping, which ranges from boutique VIP and glamping to family and quieter zones.

A limited number of launch tickets are on sale priced £156 via ticketing partner Gigantic. The festival will be entirely cashless, in partnership with Weezevent.

The festival has stated that fans will be entitled to refunds should it be cancelled due to Covid-19.

Also planning a June debut is house and disco festival One Out (cap. 5,000), launched by independent promoter Freddie Macgregor.

The one-day event is scheduled to take place on 19 June at Apps Court Farm in Surrey, half an hour outside of London.

Performing across the two stages – Main Stage and Disco Big Top – will be artists including Roger Sanchez, Hannah Wants, Artwork, Paul Woolford, Krystal Klear, La La, Low Steppa, Sam Divine, Mambo Brothers, Weiss and Menendez Brothers.

General sale is now open with tickets starting from £40. The festival has also said that should it be postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19, full ticket transfers or refunds will be available.

Currently, festivals are not allowed to take place, though a coalition of industry bodies recently published new guidance to help the festival sector mitigate risk and plan Covid-secure events ahead of next summer.

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