BRITS PASS COVID TEST; DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL IS NEXT

Zero cases of COVID were diagnosed among BRIT Awards attendees, giving the U.K. government hope it can stick to its plan to reopen on 6/21. Included in the next phase of testing is a modified Download festival.

The BRITS award ceremony was the first major indoor event with an audience, in this case 4,000 frontline workers who were allowed to forego social distancing and face coverings.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told the Evening Standard the event was “a real success” and that he was “very hopeful” that venues and theaters would be able to reopen at full capacity on 6/21.

The BRITs were part of the Events Research Programme that came up with just 15 cases of COVID-19 among the 58k people who attended events such as the FA Cup final and a Blossoms concert in Liverpool.

The government is in the process of commissioning a second round of trials involving larger crowds at major venues including a 10k-capacity edition of the Download festival 6/18-21 in Derby. Attendees will need to prove they have tested negative in the days before the show. Organizers will announce the lineup on Friday.

Professional musicians, though, are far better off than amateurs: Amateur choirs in England have been restricted to gatherings of six people indoors and 30 outdoors.

We're hyped to announce #DownloadPilot. A camping festival pilot in Donington Park, that’s part of the government’s Event Research Programme.

Priority access for DL22 ticket holders available on Tues 1st Jun. General sale Thurs 3rd Jun.https://t.co/mnsDqBoNCM pic.twitter.com/PPZ41jJEGL

— Download Festival (@DownloadFest) May 26, 2021