Jazz Sudbury has “regretfully” announced the cancellation of its 2020 festival, which was supposed to take place Aug. 5-9 this summer.
The festival — just the latest here in Greater Sudbury to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic — will be replaced this year with alternative programming that will be announced in the upcoming months, said a press release.
Jazz Sudbury’s priority is the health and well-being of the patrons and artists that attend the festival, so the annual festival will resume once it is safe to do so, said a press release.
“Jazz Sudbury Festival organizers are devastated regarding the cancellation of the event and hope to return to regular programming in 2021,” the press release added.
“We are heartbroken to not be able to gather with our community on the shores of Ramsey Lake and in our stellar downtown venues this year. We are certain that Sudbury Jazz Festival 2021 will be a reunion for the ages,” said festival director Katherine Smith.
Each year, Jazz Sudbury Festival hosts a variety of local, regional, national and international artists among multiple local venues throughout the weekend.
This year, the festival organizers are working on planning virtual shows to help keep local musicians employed throughout these unprecedented times.
The virtual programming will aim to strengthen community support for local artists and the partner venues that Jazz Sudbury works with throughout the year.
Jazz Sudbury has cemented the reputation of the festival as a world-class event and a significant contributor to the economic and cultural landscapes of the City of Greater Sudbury for the past 12 years. The festival aims to inspire appreciation for the colourful and diverse art form of live music and to bring the community together.
In December 2019, Jazz Sudbury announced that the festival would be moved a month earlier to provide a more comfortable climate for attendees.
Despite some cold and rainy September evenings, attendees have braved the weather to enjoy the jazz-filled festival. Jazz Sudbury organizers are confident that the warmer weather will make attendees feel more comfortable while they enjoy the music on the picturesque shores of Ramsey Lake at Grace Hartman Amphitheatre.
This date change will remain in effect for next year’s festival, set to take place August 4-8, 2021.
For more information, visit www.jazzsudbury.com or facebook.com/jazzsudbury.