FLY Open Air Festival has been cancelled due to plans surrounding the Queen’s death

The Edinburgh festival FLY has been cancelled, as plans for Project Unicorn means the closure of many of the city’s roads.

The drum and bass festival, which is popular with Edinburgh University students, was due to take place from September 16-18th in Princes Street Gardens.

Project Unicorn is the name given to plans surrounding Her Majesty’s body coming to Edinburgh to rest for a few days, before being moved to London.

As the Queen died in Scotland, it is protocol that her body be moved to Holyrood Palace and then St. Giles Cathedral, where members of the public will be able to pay respects and see her coffin.

Writing on Instagram, the organisers of FLY said: “Unfortunately we have been forced to cancel FLY Open Air due to Operation Unicorn in Edinburgh.

“While we are disheartened with this decision we also understand and respect the instruction from Police Scotland & Public Safety given the Queen’s passing.

“To explain the situation to our customers: The Queen will be brought to Edinburgh tomorrow for four days of mourning with Operation Unicorn seeing large parts of the city closed. This includes – The Ross Bandstand & Kingstables Road which is our access route for building the event and now no longer possible to use.

“All ticket holders will be able to request a refund in due course as we work through the situation with our insurers having already begun the site build. Details on this will be posted next week.

“After having battled the pandemic it seems things don’t get any easier but we’ll be back stronger in May 2023.

“NB our afterhours events next weekend will still go ahead and feature a number of acts from the festival playing both Cabaret Voltaire & The Caves on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

@openairfly