The 46th annual Summerfolk event in Owen Sound has back ups in place for this year’s event.
Artistic Director James Keelaghan says while he cannot give too much details about what this year’s event will look like, they are planning around the current Covid climate.
“We started back in the fall trying to reimagine what the festival could be like, especially if we were operating under the same restrictions that we were last summer, which is a limit of 50 people indoors, and 100 people outdoors,” says Keelaghan.
He notes, in response to this, several plans were being developed where they would accommodate the current Covid measures in place, like holding a virtual event, or holding something on a smaller scale, “we have plans but our plans are based on whatever the public health situation is going to be as we move closer to the summer.”
Keelaghan ensures, whatever the public health guidelines are at the time the festival rolls around, they will be prepared for it. Should they hold an in-person event, he says they will have sanitization teams available collecting attendees contact info, “our primary concern is making sure that everything is complying with public health orders.”
More specific details about where the event will be held will be released in the coming weeks, but Keelaghan says they aim to hold the event in their traditional slot of the third week of August.
Being primarily a music festival, Keelaghan is in communications with potential performers but was not able to identify who might be attending, not until, “we get a clearer sense of what is going on.” There could be up towards 30 performers attending the event however.
Keelaghan says he feels this festival is important to the cultural life of Owen Sound as there is a number of events within the city that, “you mark on the calendar, and Summerfolk, for 46 years has been a part of that tradition and it is important for the community that Summerfolk remains a presence even in a time of adversity.”
