SUDBURY -- Count North Bay's annual Bluesfest as another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This week, the Capitol Centre said it "made the difficult decision" to cancel the festival, which normally takes place in September.
"Many fall shows have also been pushed into the early part of 2021 in an effort to ensure proper preparation for reopening safely when public gathering restrictions are eased," the Capital Centre said in a news release.
"As a result, the 2020-2021 season will be a condensed version of what was originally planned, with the bulk of performances happening during the winter and spring months."
The season launch event, which introduces the new season of performances, will be delayed until this fall when officials expect to have more information about what's required to reopen.
"Enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures continue throughout the building, but additional health and safety mandates are expected prior to re-opening," the release said.
“Although we are still awaiting official direction as to what the post-pandemic world of entertainment will look like, we know it will be very different than what we are used to," executive director Katina Connolly is quoted as saying in the release.
"In any case, we are thankful to have the support and guidance of our government and health officials so that we can properly protect our patrons, volunteers, and staff as we prepare to move forward.”
The Capitol Centre has focused efforts during the pandemic on curating and presenting online entertainment to keep people engaged with music, theatre and art.
A mix of local, national and international entertainment has been showcased as part of the Capitol Centre’s monthly virtual-event calendars on Facebook. For ongoing updates and information check the Capitol Centre’s social media platforms or visit capitolcentre.org.
