The popular Glitch Festival has been cancelled for a second year running after local health authorities refused to give the green light for the event to take place.

Announcing the news on Facebook, the organisers of the festival said that they were heartbroken to share the news.

“We did everything within our power to find a safe solution to welcome you back at the fortress this summer, but unfortunately there’s no green light from the local authorities”, the organisers said.

They noted how Malta currently has almost 80% of the adult population vaccinated with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, a timeline for all adults to be fully vaccinated by July, 51 active cases of the virus, and no Covid patients in ITU, saying that these promising numbers should have led to a safe re-opening.

“However, the local authorities think otherwise with no logical reasons behind these decisions”, they said.

The organisers appealed to ticket-holders to hold onto their ticket for 2022, saying that the festival will take place between 13 and 16 August in that year.

Refunds for those who wanted them will still be available, organisers said.

The festival is one of at least three major festivals which were due to take place in Malta this summer, but the government restriction that – by August – only seated events with 200 people will be permitted put paid to their plans.

The government’s events reopening plan has garnered mass criticism and backlash from the entertainment sector, with a lobby group calling for a sustainable reopening plan describing the government’s plans as a “joke.”

The arts and entertainments sector will in fact be taking to the streets next week in a demonstration against the proposed reopening plan, and in demand for a different, more sustainable plan.