Meltdown Festival 2020 cancelled over coronavirus – but Grace Jones will curate in 2021

Meltdown Festival 2020 has been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, but the festival will return in 2021 with Grace Jones still in place as curator.

The event, which was due to be held from June 12-21 this year, is the latest major music festival to be affected by the worldwide outbreak of the disease.

Meltdown Festival organisers have confirmed today (April 6) that the 2020 event has now been cancelled. The decision was made after the Southbank Centre in London, which hosts the event, closed of all its venues until June 30 in accordance with the UK government’s advice relating to coronavirus and social distancing.

Meltdown Festival will, however, return in 2021, with next year’s festival set to be held from Friday June 11 to Sunday June 20, 2021.

Jones is still in place as the curator for the 2021 lineup, which remains unchanged and includes all of the acts that had been announced for the now-axed 2020 festival.

Grace Jones Meltdown
Grace Jones will curate Meltdown Festival in 2021 (Picture: Getty)

The likes of Solange, Lee Scratch Perry and Jimmy Cliff were all set to perform this summer, but they will all now play as part of the 2021 programme instead.

“Regretfully my Meltdown festival this year must be rescheduled to June 2021 due to the coronavirus,” Jones said in a statement. “I am gravely disappointed, but also delighted to be working with the amazing Southbank Centre team who have been able to successfully move the festival dates, along with all of our incredible lineup. Stay safe, stay home and see you next year!”








The Southbank Centre will contact all ticketholders in early May with information on how tickets can be transferred to the new dates next year.