In rather sobering news this morning, the iconic Port Fairy Folk Festival – one of Australia’s longest running events – has postponed their March 2021 event, citing the uncertainty around the pandemic as the (unsurprising) reason for the decision.
The iconic festival has been celebrating Worlds, Roots and Folk Music now for 45 years but they say that 45th Anniversary will now happen in Port Fairy, Victoria from the 11th to the 15th of March, 2022.
As borders remain closed into next year, and the situation in hotspots like the USA only getting worse – not to mention the recent flare ups in Victoria – it does beg the question: how many events in 2021 will be able to, or willing to, risk the gamble of a last minute cancellation?
More details are available at portfairyfolkfestival.com
Here’s the full statement from organisers.
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The Port Fairy Folk Festival Committee today announced that the 2021 Festival will not go ahead.
With health and safety for the Port Fairy community at the forefront – the global pandemic, gathering restrictions and levels of uncertainty led to the Committee’s most difficult decision to make in its 44-year history.
Committing to a large-scale music festival in early 2021 during uncertain times and the ongoing health and safety concerns for the community, as well as the financial viability of the event, has resulted in this decision.
The Committee will now focus its efforts on presenting a powerful 2022 Port Fairy Folk Festival, in turn celebrating 45 years of great live music festival experiences.
For over four decades, the Port Fairy Folk Festival has been presenting extraordinary international and local folk, blues and roots artists to thousands of music lovers each year over the March long weekend.
The Port Fairy Folk Festival Committee places the community, volunteers, performers, contractors and patrons at the forefront of all of its planning and looks forward to welcoming everyone back to this major iconic event and to the beautiful seaside village of Port Fairy in 2022.
The Port Fairy Folk Festival Committee sends its support to the live music industry and to all those who have been severely impacted by this pandemic, as we all work together to preserve the future of major festivals, events and cultural activities.
The 45th Port Fairy Folk Festival will take place on 11-14 March 2022.
