The Summer of 2020 traditionally would have been filled with music festivals and sports events – crowds of people typically would have been jumping around together in synchronisation all around the world. However, the global pandemic put a pause on all large gatherings, which included the postponement and cancellation of some of the world’s biggest events – Glastonbury, Coachella, Wimbledon and our very own Radiodays Europe. As we enter Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, we can see how various organisations around the world are accepting the Coronavirus challenge and persisting in providing entertainment to their audiences.
While the methods are changing, the entertainment remains and the excitement of Summer 2020 is going ahead… it’s just gone online.
Here are some of the top radio and music events that have adapted (or will be adapting) to the limitations of the pandemic – proving that you can still have a little fun in 2020, just from home.
Glastonbury Music Festival
Glastonbury was one that may have been cancelled for 2020, but there was still entertainment for fans. The BBC put together a tribute to the iconic festival on their 50th anniversary. Across ATV, radio and BBC Sounds with a mix of sets from the archives and live links.
The BBC has now announced that there have been a staggering 10.2 million programme requests for Glastonbury on BBC iPlayer so far — a figure that is likely to grow with the sets still available to watch for the next 30 days. While many major events like this have been cancelled or postponed, the virtual Glastonbury experience has proven that we can work within the parameters and limitations of coronavirus and still produce excellent content and entertainment.
Radio Days Africa 2020 – The New Normal?
Radio Days Africa (RDA) celebrated a decade of learning, sharing and engagment in 2019 with more than 100 speakers, 60 sessions and 500 participants. RDA has become a key event for radio practitioners across Africa and in the wake of “The New Normal” the Wits Radio Academy will continue the RDA conversation in 2020, presenting a variety of on-line sessions and interactive discussions. Starting on 6 July 2020, Radio Days Africa will host 20 engaging sessions over 20 days. From interactive chats, panel discussions, master classes and individual presentations, #RDA2020 aims to promote sector wide learning and keep the radio industry talking (to and about each other). The RDA 2020 sessions will be hosted every weekday starting on Monday the 6th of July and will run to Friday the 31st of July, sessions will all start at 14:00 (GMT +2). Find our more here.
British Podcast Awards
The British Podcast Awards are yet another event that has been affected by the pandemic and been forced to go online. The British Podcast Awards promote the great work podcasters are doing, encourage listeners to try new shows, and provide a space for producers, presenters, sponsors, platforms, writers and performers to have fun, and in 2020, those objectives remain. The event will be livestreaming on the evening of Saturday the 11th of July and you can RSVP and watch the ceremony.
While the methods are changing, the entertainment remains and the excitement of Summer 2020 has not dissipated… just gone online.
Want to share your thoughts on any radio or music events taking place near you? Email us at katalina@radiodayseurope.com
