Download improves disabled access and goes greener

Download Festival 2018

Friday 8th to Sunday 10th June 2018
Donington Park, Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2RP, England MAP
£210 for w/e with five nights camping

Daily capacity: 111,000

Download Festival - three days of heavy rock music at Donington Park, Derbyshire, over the weekend of Friday 8th to Sunday 10th June 2018 has announced major improvements for this year's festival, to make it more accessible and greener than ever.

Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn says:“Download Festival is built upon an ethos of inclusivity and it’s incredibly important to us that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the festival to the fullest. The appointment of accessibility ambassadors has provided us with invaluable feedback so that we’re able to implement practical improvements to site the that we hope will dramatically improve the experience for all. Being awarded a 4 out of 5 star Creative Green Certification is a huge milestone for Download Festival, and in this current climate I can’t help but feel proud of what we are doing to protect the environment including the introduction of Greenpeace’s Eco Campsite.”

All stages now have viewing platforms, to ensure a good view. Download also welcomes British Sign Language interpreters from Performance Interpreting, to the Main and Encore stages. Castle Donington Volunteer Centre will return for the fifth year, to provide an almost 24-hour free shuttle service between the campsite and Village, along with Campsite and Public Transport Hub for Access customers. This year will see a 50% increase in the shuttle bus vehicles due to significant demand in 2017.

Marie Pascall, Director of Performance Interpreting says:“Performance Interpreting are proud to be providing the first ever BSL Access Team at this year’s Download Festival. We will be providing a team of 8 qualified interpreters over the 3-day event, including deaf and hearing coordinators to ensure Deaf rock fans have an unforgettable experience. Rock music can be extremely challenging to interpret, embodying the energy, power and raw emotion of these almighty rock legends is an ambitious achievement. Bring it on!”

Continued improvements are being implemented at the Access Campsite. Those camping in the accessible campsite will now be able to drive right up to their pitch to drop off their equipment, where a team of ready and willing helpers are on hand to unload customers’ cars. A wheelchair charging tent with 50 charging points will be available for the first time, and the possibility of adding extra, and there will even be a 50% increase in the number of toilets in the Access Campsite as well as the check-in facility doubling in size to help make the process as comfortable, smooth and efficient as possible.

Laura Mina, Festival Republic’s Senior Access Coordinator comments:“We’re continuously improving accessibility for our customers, and we’re predicting a 31% increase in Access arrivals at Download Festival following changes we implemented last year, an increase from 1450 to over 2000. We work tirelessly to ensure we deliver the best possible experience for our Access customers and this year is no exception.”

Download Festival is dedicated to improving its understanding, commitment and improvement towards environmental sustainability, and since 2016 Download has participated in the Creative Green Certification which is an external assessment by Julie’s Bicycle, a charity who support the creative industries to act on climate change. Download achieved an four out of five stars due to last year’s environmental ethics.

New for 2018, Greenpeace are hosting a brand-new campsite called Eco Camp in a beautiful part of the Donington Estate, which is home to ancient oak trees and native wildlife, and can host up to 3000 fans who value spending time in the great outdoors just as much as listening to their favourite bands. Staying in the campsite is available at no extra cost for fans who have purchased a valid weekend camping ticket, but they must pre-register in advance and sign up to the set of eco-principles which include respecting the natural environment and fellow campers, being responsible for their rubbish and taking camping equipment home. During the festival Greenpeace will nurture a community of like-minded people to get inspiration about how to live in a positive way and only their experiences and memories will remain.

Victoria Chapman, Sustainability Coordinator at Festival Republic says:“Download fans have been shown to be extremely environmental conscious and I am delighted that this has been reflected in the achievement of a 4 out of 5 star award, in only the second year of undertaking Creative Green Certification.”

Music at Download 2018 comes from headliners Avenged Sevenfold (Friday), Guns n' Roses (Saturday), and Ozzy Osbourne (Sunday), along with Marilyn Manson, Bullet For My Valentine, Parkway Drive, Black Stone Cherry, Rise Against, Shinedown, Babymetal, Hatebreed, Bury Tomorrow, Alexisonfire, Thunder, Less Than Jake, Black Veil Brides, Volbeat, Asking Alexandria, Cradle Of Filth, Neck Deep, and many more. For all of the details including day and stage splits please see the line-up page.

buy tickets now >

Tickets are on sale, priced as follows (plus fees):
Weekend Arena Only: £175
with 3 Night Camping: £200
with 5 Night Camping: £210
Car parking £20
Campervan: sold out

Friday: £79.50
Saturday: £92.50
Sunday: £79.50

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