“It is with a heavy heart I have to inform you that Slam Dunk Festival 2020 is postponed to 2021. We hung on to hope for as long as we could but with so many factors against us, we have had to accept the fact that it can’t go ahead. We had worked so hard to move it from May to September and with that we thought we had saved it for you, but sadly the outlook is not any better”, the statement reads.

If you can’t make it to the new date, you will get your ticket refunded, however tickets “will of course remain valid for Slam Dunk 2021, so please, if you can, hold on to them”, the festival organiser urges.

It is with a very heavy heart I have to inform you that Slam Dunk Festival 2020 is postponed to 2021. Please read the image or visit https://t.co/BtZWKcsuwa for the full statement from our Festival Director. pic.twitter.com/pVAhYJRGDD

— Slam Dunk Festival (@SlamDunkMusic) May 14, 2020

Sum 41 and Don Broco were supposed to headline this year’s festival, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet if they will remain for next year. Other artists in the line up included Billy Talent, While She Sleeps and Mayday Parade. As Slam Dunk is known as a festival with bands from genres like pop-punk and metal, the festival is also known for welcoming bands that aren’t that familiar to the general public but are well-known within the scene, such as Young Guns or Trash Boat who were both set to perform this year.

A report earlier this week has warned that independent music festivals in the UK are at the risk of collapsing without government support. As Slam Dunk is also an independent festival “run by a small and committed team”, music fans are hoping that their beloved festival will survive the coronavirus crisis.

Speaking to Kerrang about the announcement, Sum 41 frontman, Deryck Whibley, said: “Slam Dunk is a festival we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and until now we’ve never been able to pull it off.

Scheduling and all that stuff has meant we’ve not been able to play in previous years, which has been frustrating. To finally be appearing at Slam Dunk is a great feeling – it’s been a long time coming. It’s something we’ve always wanted to do, and it’s a festival I’ve continually heard great things about. Sum 41 playing Slam Dunk just makes sense to me.”

ANNOUNCEMENT INCOMING!
Our 2nd headliner is @Sum41!
Also adding @BillyTalentBand, @theused, @thestorysofarca, @basementuk, @GrayscalePA & @DreamStateUK, reunion shows in the shape of @WeAreTheInCrowd & @YourDemise

+ Punk In Drublic is returning with @NOFXband, @Pennywise & MORE! pic.twitter.com/xWFavxzoR7

— Slam Dunk Festival (@SlamDunkMusic) October 23, 2019

The Canadian pop-punk rockers will be joined on the bill by the likes of The Used, Billy Talent, The Story So Far, Basement, Your Demise, We Are In The Crowd, NOFX, Pennywise, Dream State, and Grayscale.

NOFX’s Fat Mike, said: “I don’t actually remember playing last year… so we decided to do it again this year! I probably still won’t remember, but this time we’re gonna video tape it!”

Slam Dunk Festival North take place, at Leeds Temple, in Newsam, on Saturday the 23rd of May 2020. While, Slam Dunk South will take place, at Hatfield House, in Hertfordshire, on Sunday the 24th of May 2020.

Sum 41 will join be joined as headliners by the previously announced Don Broco, alongside the likes of The Wonder Years, State Champs, Mayday Parade, Knuckle Puck, Four Year Strong, Bayside, Ice Nine Kills, Issues, Hands Like Houses and Motion City Soundtrack. The festival’s latest line-up announcement also includes a world exclusive reunion from We Are The In Crowd and the return of Your Demise.

Posting on Instagram, Slam Dunk wrote: “THE SECOND #SDF20 ANNOUNCEMENT HAS ARRIVED! Yes, it’s happening, the rumours are true… We are bringing the mighty Sum 41 to the party as our second headliner, alongside Billy Talent and The Used!

“SDF favourites The Story So Far are back for 2020 and Basement make their 2nd ever SDF appearance. We have 2 massive reunions for Slam Dunk 2020. The first is the UK’s very own hardcore heroes, Your Demise. We are also super excited to have We Are The In Crowd back on UK soil as a world exclusive!”

Concluding they said: “We are pleased to announce the return of Punk In Drublic Stage to SDF. The full line up will be announced soon, but for now we can tell you NOFX will be returning with the legendary Pennywise. Last but not least we have UK up-and-comers Dream State, and American pop-punks Grayscale, plus plenty more to come over the following months, including our 2 heavy stages!”