Leicester's annual Riverside Festival will not take place this year, as the coronavirus crisis looks set to continue beyond the spring.
With uncertainty over how long stringent social distancing measures will be required, the city council has taken the decision to cancel the two-day festival, which was due to take place in June.
It is now contacting the dozens of stall-holders, boat operators, performers and artists who were due to take part to let them know that the 2020 festival will not now take place.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Piara Singh Clair said: “Cancelling one of the city’s most popular summer events was not an easy decision to take, but with so much uncertainty about how the coronavirus situation will pan out, we really had no choice.
“It’s obviously very disappointing, but it’s important to stress that this isn’t the end of the Riverside Festival. All being well, the festival will be back – bigger and better – in 2021.
“The only thing that’s important now is that we all do our bit to slow the spread of the coronavirus by following the Government’s guidance and staying at home.”
Leicester’s first Riverside Festival back in 1997 was a simple Sunday afternoon event on the banks of the River Soar. Over the past 20 years or so, the festival has blossomed into a packed weekend featuring live music, local artists, tasty street food and lots of family fun on the water.
A provisional date for the 2021 Riverside Festival has already been set. Next year’s festival is due to run on Saturday 5 June and Sunday 6 June.
Take a look at last Years Event Video by LM News
