Northern Lights Festival cancelled amid COVID-19 pandemic

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

On Monday, organisers of the Northern Lights Festival Boréal officially announced that the festival has been canceled in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The festival was originally scheduled to take place from July 9 to July 12.


Max Merrifield, Executive or Artistic Director, Northern Lights Festival said in a recent press statement that the decision has been undertaken with a heavy heart but it was inevitable as it would not be safe or wise to organise the festival amid the COVID-19 pandemic.


He mentioned that the decision was partially in response to feedback from the audience who would refrain from attending the festival due to the unprecedented circumstances. He said that the organisers have decided to play it safe and prioritise everyone’s safety above everything. He also shared that if the cancellation process were kept on hold for much longer, artists might have started cancelling themselves.


He also informed that while Northern Lights Festival made the call and cancelled the event, some festival organisers continue to remain in the hope that the provincial government would take the decision out of their hands by putting a blanket ban on festivals this summer.


Northern Lights Festival is offering three options to those who have purchased advance tickets. Visitors can convert the purchased ticket into a charitable donation, roll the ticket over to the 2021 version of the festival, or even receive a full refund through the NLFB office.


The organisers have also decided to make efforts to present many of the artists originally scheduled for 2020 at the 2021 edition of the festival which will also be its 50th anniversary.



Merrifield also shared that a summer potentially devoid of festivals is going to be different but he is trying to encourage positivity throughout the entire situation. He added that though there might not be much live music this summer, other things like nature, some great warm weather or spending time with loved ones can still be enjoyed.

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