London’s famed concert series BST Hyde Park has cancelled its 2020 edition due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event was slated for the first two weekends in July with performances from Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Pearl Jam, Post Malone and more but will have to wait another year to go forward.
“It is with great sadness that we have made the difficult decision to cancel BST Hyde Park 2020,” organizers said in an official statement. “After closely following government actions and statements during the COVID 19 pandemic, as well as consulting with our partners The Royal Parks and wider agencies, we have concluded that this is the only possible outcome.”
“In addition to the government rightly enforcing a prolonged period of social isolation, we would not want to place any extra strain on the emergency services, who we are lucky enough to have working alongside us at our events. We have the utmost respect for them and wish to express our admiration for their dedication and professionalism, which is proving so vital at this time.”
Ticket holders will receive refunds, though organizers determined a few weeks are needed to iron out refund plans and notify customers. Fans who already purchased tickets should expect notice about refunds by May 6.
2020 would have marked the eighth year of the series, which has welcomed The Rolling Stones, Michael Buble, Celine Dion, The Who, Bruno Mars and more over the years.
For Taylor Swift, who also headlined BST Hyde Park in 2015, it was a high-profile stop on her Lover Fest schedule. Her plans have been dramatically altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic with dozens of festivals and events worldwide getting cancelled. She was also confirmed as a headliner at the U.K.’s famed Glastonbury Festival, which has since been called off due to virus concerns. In the states, her Lover Fest East and West gigs remain scheduled as planned, though that very well may change based on recommendations from public health experts.
