Virus scuttles Glastonbury Festival for second straight year

LONDON — Britain’s Glastonbury music festival has fallen victim to the coronavirus pandemic for the second year in a row.

Organizers Michael Eavis and Emily Eavis said Thursday that “In spite of our efforts to move heaven & earth, it has become clear that we simply will not be able to make the Festival happen this year.”

“We are so sorry to let you all down,” they said in a statement.

They said everyone who had put down a deposit on tickets for the 2020 festival, which also was cancelled, would be able to attend in 2022.

The festival has been held almost annually since 1970, drawing up to 150,000 people to the Eavis’ Worthy Farm in southwest England.

Last year’s 50th anniversary event, which had been due to feature Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, the Pet Shop Boys and Paul McCartney, was cancelled in March as the virus began to sweep the U.K.

Father and daughter Michael and Emily Eavis thanked fans “for your incredible continued support and let’s look forward to better times ahead.”

The Associated Press