Dear Friends,

Firstly, we’d like to say a huge thank you for your patience and support while we’ve been navigating our way through this very difficult time – it really does mean so much to all our Wickham Festival Team.

Sadly, it is with very heavy hearts that we are being forced to postpone our 2020 Wickham Festival to 2021.

Until a few days ago we were hopeful of being able to stage our Festival as planned this August.

We have invested a considerable amount of time and money in drawing-up detailed plans for the UK’s first ‘Covid-Secure’ Festival and had received a very favourable response from all who had seen our plans.

Sadly, in the last few days, two things have changed:

• The Government issued an edict stating that no live concerts can be held at the present time. Although clearly aimed at indoor venues the Government have yet to make clear whether it also applies to outdoor venues. If it does, we would not be able to have any musical performances. No music = no Festival.
• The Government have also re-introduced lockdown measures in Leicester and have stated other local lockdowns may follow if Covid infections increase. We cannot take the risk that fresh lockdown measures may suddenly be imposed just days before our Festival and force us to cancel at the very last moment.

We’re aware that many of you will share our sadness at not being able to escape to the countryside and enjoy a wonderful weekend of fantastic live music in August.

We also know that many of you who’d bought tickets were uneasy about attending while Covid is still out there. We have always said your safety must come first and had promised you could rollover your tickets to 2021. It will mean a huge amount to us if you are willing to do so.

The good news is that all our artist bookings are being rolled-over to August 2021. Everyone booked to appear at this year’s Festival will now appear in 2021 instead.

If you’ve booked tickets for this year’s festival your tickets will be automatically rolled-over to 2021. You don’t have to do anything other than keep hold of your tickets and use them next year. If you had an Under-10 ticket for a 9-year-old or an Under-16 ticket for a 15-year-old, don’t worry, they will remain valid for 2021. Likewise, all glamping bookings remain valid for next summer.

By rolling-over your tickets to next year you not only get to see this year’s line-up at this year’s prices, you also help to secure the future of our Festival. In common with every other festival that’s been forced to postpone, we have taken a huge financial ‘hit’ with many tens of thousands of pounds already spent that cannot be recouped.

We will be hugely grateful if you can keep hold of your tickets and use them next year rather than seek a refund but for those who can’t make next year’s dates refunds will be available.
We will email all ticket purchasers within the next 48 hours explaining how to apply for a refund. We’re also setting-up a Crowdfunder page for those willing to help us survive this difficult time.

Finally, may we thank you for your continued support at a very difficult & worrying time for all of us. While some Government lockdown restrictions remain in place, please stick to them. Stay safe. We look forward to seeing you again next summer for what will be our 15th birthday party… and we promise we will make it our best-ever Festival.

With very best wishes, The Wickham Festival Team
New dates: Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th August 2021