It’s a staple of summer in the Shuswap, but, amid the coronavirus pandemic, crowds won’t be gathering in Salmon Arm for the annual Roots and Blues Festival this year.
Organizers for the music festival announced Monday night they won’t be able to go ahead with the event “in its traditional format” and will be offering patron refunds.
The event, which was scheduled for August 13-16, would have been the 28th annual edition of the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival.
The decision to call off the regular running of the festival comes after B.C.’s provincial health officer said over the weekend that it won’t be safe to hold mass-gatherings this summer.
“We do not have enough herd immunity to protect everybody and allow that type of event to happen,” she said. “Large parades, large mass gatherings where we all come together — those will not be happening this summer.”
Instead of holding the normal festival, organizers said they are now looking at ways “to share the joy, talent and authenticity of the Roots and Blues Festival with a broader audience” with the help of technology.
Exactly what format that might take is still being determined.
Organizers said they plan to resume holding the annual music festival in 2021.
Those who purchased tickets to this year’s festival are being offered refunds, but ticket buyers are also being asked to consider donating all or part of their ticket price “in support of feature years’ festivals.”