Download Music Festival, which has been officially canceled for 2021, will be hosting a smaller “pilot” version of the English fest with a maximum capacity of 10,000 attendees. The event is part of the UK government’s Event Research Program and will feature headliners like Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Bullet for My Valentine and Enter Shikari. Download Pilot will take place June 18-20 in Leicestershire’s Donington Park, and general ticket sales begin June 3.

Download explains, “Everybody on site will have taken a lateral flow test before entry and received a negative result and will have taken a PCR test too. That means you’ll be able to mosh, dance, hug your fellow Downloaders, and rock out without a mask or social distancing. Frankly, we can’t think of anything that sounds more awesome after 15 months away from our hallowed ground.”

Melvin Benn of Festival Republic shared, “This massive next step will help us understand and study the safe return of large-scale festivals with no social distancing or facemasks over a full weekend. […] The return of the full festival experience we have all been waiting for and a much-needed return to work for musicians, backstage crew, caterers and many more that form part of the U.K.’s exemplary live music industry.”

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

The festival’s official Twitter account shared on May 26, “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.”

Download Festival has already announced the event’s 2022 lineup, which features acts like Iron Maiden, Biffy Clyro and Lacuna Coil. A virtual version of the event took place in 2020, featuring System of a Down, Iron Maiden, Kiss and more.

Photo Credit: Mauricio Alvarado