Are Music Festivals Finally Making a Comeback?: Lollapalooza, Firefly and More Scheduled for Late 2021
With vaccination roll out in full swing, and the recent CDC mandate stating that fully vaccinated people are allowed to stop wearing masks, it feels like we are close to seeing the end to this pandemic that disrupted our lives over a year ago. As many of us know, COVID-19 slammed the brakes on the live music industry, with tours, concerts and music festivals getting cancelled due to the social distancing restrictions that would have severely inhibited the experience. However, as we see the light at the end of the tunnel, we also see the live music industry coming back to life. Music festivals all throughout the country are making official announcements regarding their scheduled dates for the 2021 festival season. Does this mean a comeback for the live music and festival scene after over a year hiatus?
Some of the most recent announcements include Firefly Music Festival, which will take place at its usual location, the Dover International Speedway, the weekend of September 23rd to September 26th; Lollapalooza, which is coming up in Chicago on July 29th to August 1st; and Bonnaroo and Electric Zoo on September 2nd and 3rd to September 5th. Some of these festivals have yet to announce the specific COVID-19 procedures and precautions that will take place at the event, however Lollapalooza has already claimed that it will be at full capacity. This announcement also comes with the reassurance that patrons who are vaccinated must provide proof in order to enter, and patrons who have not received a vaccine will produce a negative COVID test result prior to being granted entry to the festival.
These recent announcements of set dates for these music festivals provides all of us music lovers with a glimmer of hope that the concert and festival scene will return to the state as we once knew it. However, we strongly encourage those that are attending these festivals to go about their activities with caution and respect towards the pandemic restrictions that are to be put in place. And lastly, we encourage you to make an appointment for a COVID vaccine if you have not done so already, in order to ensure a safe and speedy return to enjoying music at live concerts, tours and more festivals.
