Download Festival confirms 2021 cancellation and announces headliners for next year

Download Festival has announced its cancellation for the second year in a row, while also confirming that KISS, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro will headline next year’s event.

The Donington Park event was scheduled to take place from June 4-6 this year but the dates ultimately land a fortnight before large-scale outdoors events are provisionally allowed once more, according to England’s planned roadmap out of coronavirus lockdown.

Now, it’s been confirmed that Download will return from June 10-12 2022, with KISS and Biffy Clyro both returning for headline sets after they were originally set to play this year. However, System Of A Down will no longer play and have been replaced by Iron Maiden.

Tickets for the 2022 event go on sale here from 10am this Friday, March 5.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson said: “Like everyone, we were all hugely disappointed when the global pandemic forced the cancellation of Download 2020 which would have been Maiden’s seventh time headlining here.

“So we are delighted to be invited back and fulfil our ambition of playing Donington Park in every decade since the 1980’s!

“As most people know, this Festival is  hallowed ground for us (and Eddie!) and our fans’ vocal support and enthusiasm is always phenomenal and much appreciated. We can’t wait to see everyone again, and are determined to make the show one hell of a party and the greatest homecoming ever!”

Download boss Andy Copping said: “Downloaders, your 2022 headliners are here! Rock ‘n’ roll legends KISS will be kicking off Friday in style, Iron Maiden will return bringing with them mascot Eddie and more fire than we can handle, and what better way to end the festival than with Biffy who will leave us awestruck with their energy. I’m counting down the days already!”

The announcement comes after the government outlined plans for England to gradually exit lockdown by the end of June.

In the wake of the announcement, events such as Reading & Leeds Festival, Parklife Festival and Green Man Festival have all announced plans to go ahead.

Live Nation has sold 170,000 tickets in the wake of the announcement, with Reading selling out entirely for 2021.

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