It’s the first time since 1967 that the festival won’t take place, organisers said on Friday. The concerts, featuring a line-up including Lionel Richie and Lenny Kravitz, were set to have been staged on the shores of Lake Geneva from July 3-18,
“The programme planned for this summer will be partly carried over to next year’s festival, which will take place from 2 to 17 July 2021,” the organisers wroteExternal link in a statement.
Despite the government’s announcement yesterday of a three-stage plan to loosen anti-Covid-19 measures in the coming weeks and months, the fact that hygiene and social distancing measures remain in place mean such a large-scale event was not possible, they said.
The two-week “Rolls-Royce” of international music festivals, which was launched in 1967, draws some 250,000 people each year. Last year, the diverse line-up of acts featured Elton John, Sting, Janet Jackson, Chick Corea, and Thom Yorke.
It’s the latest in a long line of cultural, sporting, and political events to be cancelled due to the epidemic; on Thursday, the organisers of the Paléo music festival that takes place at the end of July near Geneva, also said this year’s event was not happeningExternal link.
On Friday, meanwhile, the national yodelling festivalExternal link, which had been scheduled to take place in Basel at the end of June, was also put off for another year.
Ticketholders for the Montreux festival will be “informed”, according to organisers. Paléo, meanwhile, has said that all 2020 tickets will be made valid for the 2021 version, and are urging fans to sit tight.
External Content
Never miss a top story: subscribe to our weekly newsletter now.
More
More
Swiss artists keep up morale despite devastating pandemic
This content was published on
Four leading names of the Swiss cultural scene explain the impact of coronavirus on the institutions they run and on social life in general.
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
‘Pressure will increase on Switzerland to invest more in defence’
This content was published on
Markus Mäder, Switzerland's state secretary for security policy, believes that more cooperation is needed in order to strengthen defence in Europe.
Just one in five Swiss attend a religious service at Easter
This content was published on
Only one in five people in Switzerland attend a religious service during the Easter period or give up meat or alcohol for at least one day of fasting. Around 25% of those polled see Easter primarily as a family holiday, according to the survey.
Major road disruptions continue after heavy snowfall in parts of Switzerland
This content was published on
The snowfall has ended in the southern Swiss canton of Valais, the cantonal emergency services said on Friday. Several roads, however, remain closed.
Swiss businessman gets prison term for asbestos deaths
This content was published on
Stephan Schmidheiny has been sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison by the Turin Court of Appeal in a case against the former Eternit executive over deaths linked to asbestos exposure in Italy.
This content was published on
Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
A good year for Montreux Jazz, says director
This content was published on
This year’s Montreux Jazz festival was a big success, says festival director Mathieu Jaton, as the event draws to an end.
Emergency funding made available for artists and designers
This content was published on
People who work in the cultural sector in Switzerland can now apply for funds to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.