PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — There won’t be any music along the waterfront in downtown Portland over the 4th of July. The Waterfront Blues Festival has been canceled over concerns of the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement posted on their website, “Tyler, Christina, Peter and the entire Blues Festival Family” said it was the responsible thing to do.
“With attendees flying in from nearly all 50 states and over a dozen countries, the responsible decision is to cancel the event,” they said.
“The Waterfront Blues Festival has been here for you, our fans, for 32 years, and the decision to cancel this year’s event was not taken lightly. To better ensure that we can get back together and celebrate next summer here in Portland, we must prioritize the wellness and safety of our community.”
Christina Fuller told KOIN 6 News they are devastated but grateful for the support from both musicians and fans.
“A lot of tears went into making this decision,” Fuller said. “It’s dark for a lot of folks right now, for the music industry.”
Over the years, the Waterfront Blues Festival has raised more than $10 million for the Oregon Food Bank and The Sunshine Division. Fuller said The Sunshine Division is “feeding more people right now than they ever have” because of COVID-19. “They’re on the frontlines and we’re proud to be partners with them.”
Even though the Waterfront Blues Fest is 3 months away, Fuller said they “would have had people getting ready for the festival even earlier than that.”
Listen to KOIN 6’s Ken Boddie talk about the decision to cancel this year’s Blues Fest.
Anyone who already purchased tickets for the 2020 event can use them for the festival scheduled for July 2-5, 2021. Ticket questions can be answered through Ticket Tomato — 800.820.9884 — or by email: info@tickettomato.com
“Our hearts are with you all,” organizers said. “Be kind to each other and be safe. We look forward to seeing you all in 2021.”
Canceling the 2020 festival was not an easy choice but Fuller said, “This is what we have to do if we want to have a 33rd year.”
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