Back in business: Latitude Festival and Duxford Airshow welcome people back without restrictions
Suffolk-based Latitude Festival has become the first major festival to welcome back fans today.
The four-day music event, which is taking place at the Henham Park estate, is part of the government's Events Research Programme, meaning that people will have to show they have been vaccinated twice or tested negative for accsess.
Melvin Benn, Managing Director, Festival Republic says he is excited that the event could go ahead.
The festival has a capacity of 40,000, made up of day-ticket holders and campers.
Music headliners include Bastile, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Chemical Brothers and Wolf Alice.
What is a test event?
The events research programme was commissioned by Downing Street earlier this year to test how mass events and gatherings could be held safely and what measures would need to be put in place to make them safe.
Events acorss the country were selected to be part of the programme, including the Euro 2020 semi-final and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone Circut.
How do you get into the event?
Ticket holders were then asked to either provide evidence of a negative lateral flow test taken before travel on the day of arrival or proof of full vaccination, with the second doe being received at least two weeks before the day of the event.
What happens after?
After the event, the government will use the data to measure the risk of Covid-19 infection of those who are at the mass events by looking at those who then get a PCR test and then test positive.
Research from the first set of pilot events found no major outbreaks.
Meanwhile, there's excitement around another big event happening over the weekend in Cambridgeshire.
Imperial War Museum Duxford is putting on its first air show in 2 years, with preperations underway for displays from the classic spitfires - including one dedicated to the NHS.
The world-famous Red Arrows will be taking part as will the Falcons parachute display team while amongst the historic aircraft will be the only airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress left in Europe.
Like almost all attractions Duxford has suffered through much of 2020 and 2021 with Covid causing the cancellation of all its big set-piece occasions.
It's not just big events that are getting underway. Smaller venues are starting to get back up running like Wicksteed Park near Kettering.
It's comes as Wicksteed Park Ltd went into administration last year, due to the pandemic, but was able to stay open due to National Lottery funding and donations from locals.
They will be unveling their new ride 'Galaxy Invaders' tomorrow and hope to see visitors flock to the park all weekend.
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