Hertfordshire’s Standon Calling Festival had to be suspended on its last day. The festival that has started last Thursday 22nd July and was one of the first outdoor shows to go ahead this summer, has been stopped by heavy rain with lightning and floods.
The organisers started to worry as soon as the torrential rain hits the field on Sunday 25th and Twitted:
“The show has stopped due to the storm and the risk of lightning. Your safety is our top priority“. Adding: “In case of lightning please avoid sheltering under trees and metal objects like flag poles. Stay calm and seated until it passes. We will resume once its safe to do so“.
Unfortunately due to flooding we will no longer be able to proceed with the festival.
If you can safely leave the site this evening please do so as soon as possible. We are working on getting everyone off site as safely and quickly as possible.
— Standon Calling (@StandonCalling) July 25, 2021
Unfortunately, the weather conditions made it unsafe to continue and organisers had to stop it completely: “Due to flooding we will no longer be able to proceed with the festival. If you can safely leave the site this evening please do so as soon as possible. We are working on getting everyone off site as safely and quickly as possible“. Organisers offered shelter at the Campsite Office for those unable to leave the site due to various reasons: “where we will be providing details on the provisions we will be making for you. In the meantime please stay as warm, hydrated and dry as possible“. Few festival-goers were forced to leave their belongings on-site but were assured they can come back the next day to pick them up. Met Office warning quickly upgraded to yellow with info about “Flooding of homes and businesses is likely and could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater and isolated lightning strikes”. “Heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms are likely to cause surface water flooding“. See few images from Standon Calling last day below.
Quite the walk home from #standoncalling pic.twitter.com/apNCKSo3wn — Josh #BLM (@BurnsyJ3) July 25, 2021
Loving the new feature for #standoncalling this year: Standon lakes pic.twitter.com/uULzBuD0PJ
— Dan Pidcock (@danpidcock) July 25, 2021
Among the acts due to play on Sunday was Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Craig David, Primal Scream and De La Soul. Even though the last day of Standon Calling didn’t go as planned, it was a blast for those who attended.
Dear @StandonCalling – I know you’ve had a challenging final afternoon, but this is just to say huge thanks for a brilliant weekend. Your entire team, the quality of the acts, the food and drink, the warmest of welcomes. You’ve pulled off something incredible & delighted 1000s. — David Micklem (@davidmicklem) July 26, 2021
