Summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge cancelled because of Covid-19 pandemic
Event will be live streamed for free by English Heritage
ENGLISH Heritage has cancelled the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge over the weekend of Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21.
Members of the public are being urged not to visit the ancient site in Wiltshire and instead watch the event, which will be live streamed for free on all its social media channels.
In an announcement on Twitter, it said: 'As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, for the safety and wellbeing of all attendees, volunteers and staff, English Heritage regrets that we will not be able to host the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge this year.
‘We spoke with the emergency services, the druid and pagan community and others before making this difficult decision, and look forward to welcoming everyone again next year.’
Stonehenge director Nichola Tasker said: ‘We hope that our [livestream] offers an alternative opportunity for people near and far to connect with this spiritual place at such a special time of year, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.’
Sunrise will be live-streamed on English Heritage’s Youtube Channel at 4.52am BST on Sunday, June 21.
English Heritage will be reopening the Stonehenge site on July 4, tickets must be booked in advance and other safety measures are in place. For more information visit https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/