Will The COVID-19 Delta Variant Put Another Halt To Live Music? How Festivals Have Responded to Recent Concerns
Just when we thought our fall plans of music festivals and concert-going were in motion, the COVID-19 Delta Variant has become a more widespread concern across the nation. Mask mandates are being reinstated regardless of vaccination status in cities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco, and cases are rising as hospitals become overwhelmed once again. This begs the question for the music industry: how will this impact concerts and music festivals?
Some festival planners have already taken action, especially in light of the controversy surrounding Chicago’s Lollapalooza event which ran from July 29th to August 1st. Many people on social media criticized festival security for not thoroughly enforcing COVID-19 measures, therefore future festivals have decided to take action to prevent health concerns and criticism at their own events.For example, Milwaukee’s Summerfest, which is set to take place the first three weekends of September, announced on Tuesday that they will require proof of a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination in order to enter through the gates. They are also offering COVID-19 ticket refunds for those who purchased a ticket but have not yet been vaccinated.
However, other festivals have yet to speak on this recent surge of concern. Firefly Festival, which is set to happen September 22nd to September 26th has failed to address what safety measures they will be taking at this time, stating that “It’s too early to tell exactly what precautions will be in place at the festival,” however they are reassuring their patrons that they are continuously monitoring local mandates and health regulations, and will continue to listen to what health officials say regarding large events. They also stated that in the circumstance in which the festival may not take place, ticket holders will have the option to receive a refund or rollover their passes for the next year’s festival.
Edit: Firefly Music Festival has now announced that festival-goers must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from no later than 72 hours prior to their entrance into the grounds. They are also now offering refunds to those who are unable to get a vaccine or test in time.
Overall, it is difficult to gauge what the next steps will be in terms of concert and festival events this fall. However, what is certain is that the pandemic is still very much an active presence in our lives and should be handled with concern. EAR encourages everyone out there to respect their local health regulations and mask mandates, and if possible, get vaccinated so we can go back to experiencing different live music events that we will all enjoy!
