The 2021 Tamworth Country Music Festival will not be going ahead after Tamworth Region Councillors last night voted to suspend all Council-run events next year due to the ongoing COVID restrictions.
The writing was on the wall for the country festival after Tamworth Regional Council last week recommended that Councillors call off the 2021 event due to the "current public health orders" in place, including the prohibition of music festivals and mass gatherings.
“Today is a sad day, not only for Tamworth, but for the artists, and the country music industry," festival manager, Barry Harley, said.
"We have remained as optimistic as we could and continued with our planning in the hope that conditions would ease. Unfortunately, like so many others in our situation, we have had to surrender to the challenges COVID has placed on us and make the difficult decision to suspend TCMF2021.”
Tamworth Region Mayor, Col Murray, said the decision was difficult to make, however "one that had the health and safety of our community, our fans, the artists, volunteers, local businesses, staff, and the wider country music industry front of mind".
“It is hard to believe that we have had to make this decision, and it most certainly has not been an easy decision to make," Murray said.
"Still, the impacts of introducing COVID-19 to our community far outweigh the impacts cancelling the festival would have on our community.”
Though the festival is off, the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards will still go ahead in 2021 as a virtual event.
“It is important that we continue to recognise country music talent at the 49th Toyota Golden Guitar Awards, despite not being able to hold a live event,” Harley said.
“Artists have faced an extremely challenging year, but many have continued to work hard and release new music, under the most difficult of circumstances, and we want to pay tribute to them by hosting a remarkable event, that is streamed far and wide so that everyone can experience the best of Australian country music."
It is intended that the Tamworth Country Music Festival return in 2022.
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