It’s been a sad (though perhaps inevitable) run of news this week for some of our favourite music festivals. Billboard are reporting that iconic Californian Festival Coachella are set to officially cancel their rescheduled 2020 dates, along with their sister festival Stagecoach.
This follows on from Splendour in the Grass in Australia, who officially announced their cancellation yesterday, and Focus Wales in the UK, who posted this today.
We're so sad to be announcing that our 10th edition of FOCUS Wales must be postponed until 2021. Please read the post for more information.
Big love from the FOCUS Wales team x pic.twitter.com/wf5fszqevP
— FOCUS Wales (@FocusWales) June 10, 2020
All events were amongst the first to be postponed to October 2020 amidst the global pandemic.
While Splendour will look towards its regular dates in July 2021 to celebrate its 20th year, Focus Wales is planning to hold their 2021 event in October, rather than the usual May dates.
The article from Billboard indicates that organisers Golden Voice are considering the same, amidst company layoffs and the uncertainties of global travel – either running a smaller event in April or the full event at these new dates in October 2021.
Meanwhile, Montreal Festival Osheaga, which was due to take place at the end of July, was also cancelled today – though they never entertained new dates, so this news comes as no surprise either. They will return at their regularly scheduled time in 2021.
Nous travaillons déjà sur la programmation 2021 afin de ramener certains des artistes très attendus de 2020. / We are currently working on the 2021 lineup to bring back some of the much-anticipated 2020 acts. More news to come💛 pic.twitter.com/oflBXli3tc
— OSHEAGA (@osheaga) June 9, 2020
While this is dire news for anyone who was hoping to return to festival life in the first half of next year, keep in mind Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany, is still planning to take place in September 2020, working around any restrictions in place. This event, like Falls Festival in Australia, is expected to take a more domestic approach as they adapt to the pandemic. With its domestic focus, we’re hoping to hear more on BIGSOUND and their plans soon, and optimistic some version of that event will be able to take place as well.
More news on all these events as they develop.
