France’s president Macron delivers bad news for music fans as all festivals cancelled until after September amid Coronavirus health crisis.

France’s president Macron delivers bad news for music fans as all festivals cancelled until after September amid Coronavirus health crisis.

THE French government has announced that events of over 5,000 people will not be permitted before September, extending a previous ban that outlawed events until mid-July.

“Major sporting and cultural events, in particular festivals, major trade fairs and any other event with over 5,000 attendees cannot be held before September,” French prime minister Edouard Philippe announced last week.

It was also announced that music venues and theatres will remain closed after May 11, when some cultural institutions such as small museums and libraries will begin to reopen. Depending on the situation, some venues may be permitted to reopen from June 2. Following the news of the extended ban, organisers of La Route du Rock which was set to take place from August 19 to 22 called off the festival’s 30th-anniversary edition this summer.

Organisers of the famous Rock en Seine festival scheduled for August 29 to 30 in Paris, have announced they will update fans “with concrete information as soon as possible.”

The extended ban leaves the French festival season in the same situation as those in the Netherlands, where large events are banned until September 1.