Greenbelt organisers remain “cautiously optimistic” about August’s festival

Tickets are on sale for this year’s Greenbelt Festival which is held annually near Kettering.
Organisers are hoping this year's Greenbelt festival will go ahead in August.Organisers are hoping this year's Greenbelt festival will go ahead in August.
Organisers are hoping this year's Greenbelt festival will go ahead in August.

Organisers of the Greenbelt Festival have said they are hopeful this year’s event will take place – despite the ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus.

The music arts and faith festival which takes place in the grounds of Boughton House near Kettering was postponed for the first time in its 48-year history in 2020.

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However, organisers have now spoken out about their plans for this year.

In a recent ‘Greenbelt Dispatches’ email to supporters, organisers said: “We’ve had a few of you, understandably, asking whether Greenbelt is going ahead this year.

“Here’s the completely honest answer. We really, really hope so, yes.

“We are planning for a proper, old-school ‘humans-in-fields’ festival while being painfully aware that if COVID has other ideas later this year, there will be little we can do about it.

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“There are plenty of reasons to be – if not cheerful – then cautiously optimistic.

Tickets are selling well, our festival is at the very end of the summer, the vaccine rollout might have worked its magic and there will have been other gatherings trialled by then.”

The festival is due to take place from August 27 to August 30 and while a proposed line up hasn’t been announced yet - in previous years the likes of Pussy Riot, Frank Turner and comedian Russell Brand have all performed.

Greenbelt describes itself as “somewhere artistry meets activism, the secular meets the spiritual and politics meets positivity”.

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Last year, organisers staged the Wild At Home event which featured virtual performances and gatherings.

Talking about what 2021’s festival could look like if it goes ahead, organisers added: “Right now, we’re not exactly sure what our festival will look like.

“For all we know, it might look almost exactly the same. It might not.

“All we can guarantee now is what won’t change – regardless of what the future has in store.

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“We will always do our very best to be a welcoming space for everyone, regardless of who you are or who you love.”

Greenbelt recently marked LGBT+ History Month with its Out At Greenbelt volunteer team recommending leaders who have paved the way for LGBTQ+ people with and without faith.

Adult weekend tickets for Greenbelt are currently available for £165 until the end of April and there are various concessions for different age groups.

Festival goers also have the opportunity to pay by installments if they book before the end of April.

Camping, car parking and campervan passes are also all available.

For more information, visit https://www.greenbelt.org.uk