Campers are arriving at Henham Park today (July 22) for Latitude Festival, the UK’s first major festival to be held following ‘freedom day’.
The 35,000-capacity event, set to be headlined by Bastille, Bombay Bicycle Club, Wolf Alice and The Chemical Brothers, had already been given the green light before the lifting of COVID restrictions as festival organiser Melvin Benn announced in June it was part of the government’s Event Research Programme (ERP).
In order to gain entry to the festival, which runs until Sunday (July 25), ticketholders will be asked for proof of a negative lateral flow test taken within 48 hours of arrival at the festival, or proof of full vaccination with the second dose having been received at least 14 days prior to the first day of attending the festival. As a test event, it can go ahead with no social distancing requirements.
“We have been working extremely hard to make sure that Latitude Festival can go ahead safely at full capacity,” said Benn, who also organised the recent Download Pilot and a series of pilot events in Liverpool over the May Bank Holiday weekend, where the likes of Fatboy Slim and Blossoms played to a crowd without any COVID restrictions.
“Becoming an ERP event gives us the security of going ahead. Crucially the additional research collected at Latitude will benefit all festivals and live events moving forward. Everyone will be welcome to attend as long as they have a negative lateral flow test or proof of two vaccinations.”
Ahead of the music beginning today, fans are arriving in their droves to a sunny Henham Park. See photos and reactions from Latitude below.
Rocking up to Latitude Fest and there’s a orange van of positivity right there beside @shaunwkeaveny pic.twitter.com/0G8auwsprs
— 𝙱𝚒𝚐 𝙹𝚒𝚖 (@Big_Jim_Norwich) July 22, 2021
#cinchxLatitude here at Latitude and looking forward to a great weekend!
pic.twitter.com/uuDBQu8Jtb
— d.cRobert Thorpe (@RJEThorpe) July 22, 2021
No rest for the wicked, straight to latitude! pic.twitter.com/ph2ZnvCvUs
— Elise Galvin (@missgk3) July 22, 2021
We’re so happy Latitude is back this year. If you get a chance, come pick up some free lateral flow tests at our kiosk on site and keep you and other festival-goers safe. #Yes2Test #Latitude2021 pic.twitter.com/Q8f32lARaK
— Suffolk CC (@suffolkcc) July 22, 2021
surreal seeing Latitude Festival traffic warnings around town again
— 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖒 ⎊ (@_calluum_) July 22, 2021
if any comedians doing Latitude this weekend want to camp with myself and @emilyalexa__ and create a mini campsite of legends, you will find us in this absolute statement piece pic.twitter.com/9tQhSnPi8k
— Ania Magliano (@AniaMags) July 22, 2021
Could our @NHSNWCCG @NCHC_NHS team BE any cooler? Rocking up @LatitudeFest this weekend with our #Vaccinationbus Partnering with colleagues in @IESCCG to promote the #CV19vaccination programme and support people needing a
(only for people with valid Latitude tickets) pic.twitter.com/wHruM6dojj
— Emma Wakelin (@emmawakelin) July 22, 2021
The Met Office is predicting sunshine throughout the festival’s first day today, with a minimum temperatures 21 degrees Celsius and an evening temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.
Tomorrow (July 23) is set to be cloudy with changing sunny intervals, with temperatures peaking at 18 degrees Celsius and a 10 per cent chance of rain. Sunday, however, is 40 per cent likely to bring rain from 4pm until 10pm.
The post Punters arrive at Latitude for first major UK festival following ‘freedom day’ appeared first on NME.
