RED ROCK, Ont. — The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of the three-day Live from the Rock folk festival for the second year in a row.
Organizers made the announcement Tuesday.
"We have been waiting and watching along with the rest of the province as the COVID-19 situation has unfolded, and at this time there are just too many unknowns to safely and successfully plan and hold our regular event this August," board president Jim Malo said.
"Although we were hopeful that we might be able to go ahead with the 2021 event, we look forward to the time that we can all safely be together again at the festival," Malo added.
When the 2020 festival was cancelled, organizers planned a four-part virtual concert series with federal funding, filmed by local videographers and filmmakers.
The concerts were held at intimate regional venues for sharing online later.
Despite postponements and a change to closed sets with no audiences, the Live From the Rock Festival Social Sessions performances were completed.
The series finale – featuring local acts The Chain, the James Boraski Trio, and Quayson Williams – will be broadcast live on the festival's official Facebook page on Saturday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Festival chair Laura Foulds said organizers are once again looking at planning innovative activities for the 2021-2022 season which she said "will allow us to deliver on our mandate to support music and arts on the north shore of Lake Superior."
