Quick Post on Coronavirus from Ferg!

[ferg]

Greetings Festivarians!

I’ve just received a scolding from Festivarian Owen Perkins about Planet’s silence on this coronovirus matter. And, he’s right, but things have been changing so quickly that it’s hard go finish a sentence!

We’ve only recently even begun conversations with all our various partners; but, the feeling really is that there’s no real urgency to doing anything but washing our hands more.

There absolutely may come a time where specific actions regarding the festival will need to be decided; but, no one is currently feeling like any such decisions need to be made soon.

One of us is looking for our thorough pandemic plan; but, be assured, the rest of us are really focused, really open-minded and taking this seriously.

Mostly wanted to get quick note out after Owen’s “suggestion”.

So, standbye!  Right now we’re in big listening mode, so any thoughts are welcome.

We’ll be right back, but this is indeed a new one on the journey to festivaria, some small chance we might have to meet there in our minds, but I doubt that.

[Doc Mike]

Ferg,

With all due respect, I think you need to examine the facts a little closer.  It's a bit more than washing your hands more. This is some serious shit.

Peace,

Doc

[ToddG]

Good news. I'm a full time hand washer ready for duty.

[culasthewiz]

Why is it important to call out somebody by name while making this statement?

Heya... if you mean the “from Ferg” part, I just wanted to make it clear that our team really hasn’t fully processed this. We will.  I don’t wanna speak for anyone but me. But, I know those people. They are taking this very seriously.  And scientifically.

[jlarsp]

Seems like the appropriate response at the moment, Ferg. Thanks. Things are changing so much day to day and the fest is a bit over 3 months away. I figure either it will have settled down and the fest will go on more or less as usual with perhaps some precautions (a bottle of hand sanitizer with each program?), or things will have gotten so much worse that worrying about getting to Telluride will be the last thing on anyone's mind.
For now, I plan to make the annual trek from Chicago for the four best days on the planet, as usual. Keeping my fingers crossed. Things changing so fast I barely know how it'll affect me tomorrow. Need to think about and plan for June, and just no way to know now what the situation will be then, so impossible to make big decisions about stuff that far away.

 Listening to: Rising Appalachia -- thanks for booking them!

[Skubes]

Ferg,

With all due respect, I think you need to examine the facts a little closer.  It's a bit more than washing your hands more. This is some serious shit.

Peace,

Doc

+1

[ferg]

We sure think it’s serious, Doc. And, yes, there is waaaaay more to it than washing hands.

Since this seems to be changing so fast and we’ve really not had a chance to discuss this much (without everything seeming a little different the next day), we’ve been pretty silent and I wanted to let everyone know this was very much on our minds as well.

Heck, Brian’s self quarantined. We get it.

We’re gathering thoughts of artists and friends and having discussions amongst ourselves. Top on our list for today’s meeting in fact; but, I think we’re all just sharing information and seeing how things develop for now.

Everyone, from artist to audience to festivarian to foe will get to weigh in on this.  We’re listening to all. I heard Doc.

[RockyMtnGuy]

Thank you for the message, Ferg.  It's good to hear that the situation is being monitored.  Prayers for Brian. Your appreciation for the seriousness of the situation is apparent and appreciated.

I'd noticed that SeeTickets has a policy that tickets are non-refundable after March 6th (for TBF).   Should the decision be made to cancel this year's TBF, will Planet Bluegrass work with SeeTickets to provide relief from their documented policy that no refunds will be permitted after March 6th?

[ferg]

I don’t know how I did that reply thing either! Sorry!

Actually, I kinda work for Owen and I’m glad he brought it up.

He’s wondering. I’m wondering. There are a lot of people wondering.

It seems a bit like we’re not paying attention, but I think we’re really just trying to figure out what’s going on here.

Anyway, howdy everyone!  Any news comes here first and spring is on its way.

[Australian fan]

 Thanks Ferg, appreciate the update and I respect that the reported numbers in US don't justify a decision to cancel at this stage.

Give what I know about the epidemiological curve and the transmission rates in every other country that is testing at the right rate, I think you will be presented with the evidence in about two weeks.

Telluride is my heart and I do everything I can to get there because I love it and what it represents, I would be gutted to miss it.

That said, I also want everyone to be safe and well.

I know you will make the right call with everyone's best interests in mind.

[BuckeyeDog]

Craig,
Thank you for the update. The situation is serious, and exacerbated even more so by the incompetent administration that tried to gaslight the public on this issue. But this is no place for political discussion.
The most important issue is safety, and it's heartwarming to see PB concerned about this, for the festivarians, vendors, artists, the town residents, etc.... I know it's too early to make a decision, but I have confidence that PB will make the correct decision once the time comes. We all want to be there in June, but not at the expense of the health of any fellow festivarians.
At this point, let's just stay calm and see what unfolds. And keep up with the hand washing!

[ToddG]

My two cents would be to wait till much closer to Festival date to make the call. I'm sure most everyone would agree now or even in the next two months is too early to call it. Thanks again for keeping us up to date with the Planets thoughts. 

 Listening to: Billy Strings-Home

[bschultz]

Thanks for being thoughtful. CA and NY have adopted policies about maximum crowd sizes. In a month I believe this situation will be much more clear. Thus far things seem to be heading in the wrong direction but maybe that will change.

Thanks for the wonderful festival and let's all do what we can to minimize the impact of this virus.

 Listening to: KDNK

[Darkhorse]

Thank you Craig Ferg!

I also appreciate the waiting game on this one and see no reason for people to be suggesting or demanding the planets comments on the issue.  Everyone is very capable of finding the real information about the virus on their own, and subsequently making their own decision about the events they attend.   

Currently I back NY and CA, and I have already had one show that I have purchased tickets for postponed.  I anticipate the Lil Smokies and Brothers Camotose may soon make announcements that they will cancel shows that I plan to attend later this month.  Making my 2nd and 3rd shows I will most likely be missing in less than a month of the breakout of the virus.  The cancelation of those shows this early is warranted, but with two weeks until I am supposed to see Smokies still no announcement has been made.  The show that was cancelled was scheduled for the 21st and was required to be shut down because the venue holds 1400, and 250 and up is shut down here.  I am interested to see what the smokies will do with their show at the Terrapin, a capacity of 419, however still not cancelled (both were postponed within a day of this post.)...I mean cut the Planet a break, and take some responsibility in your own mindset.  Whatever conditions exist now will most certainly not be the same 3 months from now.

A festival that most of us plan our year around being cancelled 3 months in advance would increase unnecessary panic, and it would devastate most of the festivarian community.  Imagine PB coming out and announcing TBF was cancelled then a few weeks later a vaccine is found and made available free for all people, then imagine it being too late to put the festival back on because of the lengthy discussions surrounding the previous cancellation.  Finally imagine all of us returning to the box canyon to celebrate peace love and happiness without being able to witness the expression of live musical genius.  Eventually we would all realize that PB should have just waited to make statements and cancellations...like what statements do we need the Planet to make?

this is bad, stand by....

[Australian fan]

There is no, repeat, no chance of a vaccine that is safe to use for people being available in anything less than a year, more likely 18 months.

Yes we might get lucky and find that some medical treatments will reduce severity of symptoms.

I agree that Planet should wait a bit longer until the US caseload and trend is clearer but in my heart, I’m pretty sure it won’t go ahead this year and that’s devastating.

I haven’t cancelled my flights though cause I’m hoping I’m wrong 💚💙💚💙💚