Music event cancellations are now stretching well into the summer around the world and in Chicago as new surveys show Americans are apprehensive about returning to public life after the cornonavirus pandemic lockdowns begin to lift.
In Chicago, last Friday served as something of an info dump with three major Summer events either postponing or cancelling their shows. Spring Awakening, which was to move back into the city proper from Hoffman Estates starting on June 12, announced on Friday that the 2020 edition was “postponed to 2021.”
“The 2021 edition of Spring Awakening will mark the 10 year anniversary of the festival,” organizers wrote, “and we are planning a celebration like we’ve never hosted.” Tickets are valid for the 2021 show; holders will be contacted by SeeTickets with refund options. Promoters, who like most are leery about the future with few revenue options available, have promised bonuses to those who hold on to their 2020 tickets for 2021.
Press F to pay respects to festival season 2020…see you next year 😢
— Papi Spring 🌼 (@SpringAwakeFest) April 24, 2020
Also on Friday, the Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival announced that their 30th anniversary show on July 4 2020 will be postponed; in its place Chicago’s original DJ crew will host a virtual event, the likes of which Chosen Few member Terry Hunter has been excelling at. Tickets for the 2020 event will be valid for 2021 here too. Refund requests can be made through seetickets.us by May 22, 2020.
READ MORE: What It Takes: The Chosen Few Picnic Turns 25
And finally on Friday, the Northalsted Business Alliance has announced that Chicago Pride Fest will not be happening on June 20-21, 2020. Unlike other events, Pride may still be happening later this summer, with Labor Day being strongly considered “contingent on an improved public health landscape” at the time.
Meanwhile, two new surveys paint a grim picture of public sentiment in the United States about attending public events – or going out at all. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released Tuesday shows fewer than half of Americans anticipate going to public sporting events, music events, movie theaters or amusement parks unless there is a vaccine for COVID-19. Of those who “follow sports avidly and go to arts and entertainment venues and amusement parks,” only about 40% said they will return before a vaccine is available. The same amount said they would wait, “even if it takes more than a year” for a vaccine to become available.
These sentiments were echoed in a Coresight poll reported by CNBC. 44% of respondents said they would be avoiding movie theaters, with 40% anticipating avoiding sporting events. Barely 1/3rd reported feeling “safe” or “very safe” in a shopping mall.
Photo: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot when she opened events rather than shut them down.
