RIVERSIDE Festival – one of the most popular music events in Oxfordshire – has been cancelled.

The two-day event, held in Charlbury, was set to celebrate its 25th anniversary on the weekend July 25-26, but organisers this afternoon announced they were having to cancel the event due to coronavirus.

The line-up had not yet been announced, but traditionally features a predominantly local bill of established and up-and-coming bands.

Riverside Festival also programmes the local music stage at Cornbury Festival, due to be held at Great Tew, near Chipping Norton, from July 10-12.

 

That festival, due to be headlined by Ronan Keating, Van Morrison, Dido and Jack Savoretti, has made no announcement on whether it plans to go ahead or not, but says on its website: “We are monitoring the situation closely and on a continuous basis.”

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Riverside director Andy Pickard said: “I’m sure people won’t be surprised to hear that we’re cancelling this year’s Riverside Festival. It was going to be our 25th festival, so that really sucks.

“However, the good news is that we had a very successful Riverside last summer, with huge support from festival goers and local businesses, so we’re in good shape to put on a great show next year down by the river In Charlbury.”

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Mr Pickard has been awarded a High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Award in recognition of his valuable services to the community. As well as staging Riverside every year, he organises other fund-raising events, volunteers at Charlbury Primary School and Pre-School and takes care of Charlbury’s Shed – a music, comedy and drama venue in the town.