Bluegrass Postponement?

[AnythingAtAll]

This has been the most horrible year.

Be safe festivarian family 💙💚💙💚 Pray for John Prine

You are likely correct.

But it's going to be human nature to plan, postpone, plan, cancel, plan...repeat, while sheltering as best we can and resetting as more information becomes available.

There's so much we don't know and that lack of knowledge lends itself to optimism as well as realism and pessimism.  Optimism keeps us hoping for a miracle- that just maybe alka-seltzer dropped in Listerine with a shot of lemon elicits a cure. (Yes tongue-in-cheek, but you get the point, a well-made Manhattan would be even better)

Meanwhile, we also find ways to deal with a new normal, if you can call it that.  New ideas and ways evolve.

Here's an idea, and I doubt it's original.  If things don't go the way we want...

How about a virtual festival?  Under the auspices of Planet Bluegrass, any acts that can get sets together on video, do so.  Not all current acts might be able, but past or any willing (Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, I'm looking at you) acts that PB has in their little black book.  Planet Bluegrass could be promoter, people could donate, artists get a cut of whatever pot donations produced.  It may or may not make a killing, but better than nothing and what the hell else are we all doing?

The only real danger I see is propelling the festival's popularity to the Mumford and Sons days...

Stay safe everybody, plan, postpone, repeat...

[Australian fan]

This has been the most horrible year.

Be safe festivarian family 💙💚💙💚 Pray for John Prine

You are likely correct.

But it's going to be human nature to plan, postpone, plan, cancel, plan...repeat, while sheltering as best we can and resetting as more information becomes available.

There's so much we don't know and that lack of knowledge lends itself to optimism as well as realism and pessimism.  Optimism keeps us hoping for a miracle- that just maybe alka-seltzer dropped in Listerine with a shot of lemon elicits a cure. (Yes tongue-in-cheek, but you get the point, a well-made Manhattan would be even better)

Meanwhile, we also find ways to deal with a new normal, if you can call it that.  New ideas and ways evolve.

Here's an idea, and I doubt it's original.  If things don't go the way we want...

How about a virtual festival?  Under the auspices of Planet Bluegrass, any acts that can get sets together on video, do so.  Not all current acts might be able, but past or any willing (Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, I'm looking at you) acts that PB has in their little black book.  Planet Bluegrass could be promoter, people could donate, artists get a cut of whatever pot donations produced.  It may or may not make a killing, but better than nothing and what the hell else are we all doing?

The only real danger I see is propelling the festival's popularity to the Mumford and Sons days...

Stay safe everybody, plan, postpone, repeat...

That’s true and I’m sorry I’m being such a downer, I prefer to dream of when we are going to be back in our happy place together.

I love the idea of a virtual festival.

💚💙💚

[MeetMeAtTheCreek]

Anyone going to watch the town council meeting today via the online stream?

I'm really hoping it gets postponed, sounds like it won't happen otherwise.

I read the proposal online last night (can be found on the Telluride Gov website). Looks like they have a really solid plan.

[alexbarbosa42]

Anyone going to watch the town council meeting today via the online stream?

I'm really hoping it gets postponed, sounds like it won't happen otherwise.

I read the proposal online last night (can be found on the Telluride Gov website). Looks like they have a really solid plan.

Listening now. Assuming the current date is postponed, it sounds like august is not going to happen either due to limitations with Film Fest, but at the same time Craig says he'd consider later in the year (late Sept, October). Also mentioned that they'd start working on 2021 if 2020 is out of the question. Tough balance between managing the public health & financial health of the town. Everyone's trying to figure out how to move forward. Craig still seemed confused by wether or not they deemed the festival canceled. No answers could be given on the record as this is a fluid situation.

[TonyBurkenstocks]

Can someone post link? Can't seem to find the correct one

[TonyBurkenstocks]

Nevermind, got it 

[Pass Port]

Anyone going to watch the town council meeting today via the online stream?

I'm really hoping it gets postponed, sounds like it won't happen otherwise.

I read the proposal online last night (can be found on the Telluride Gov website). Looks like they have a really solid plan.

listening now. sounds like august is not going to happen (assuming June is postponed, but at the same time Craig says he'd consider later in the year. October...?!

Thanks for the reminder 

[MeetMeAtTheCreek]

Wonder why the first date in August wouldn't work.. was that the date Ferg said that Sam Bush and some other key artist couldn't attend so it wouldn't really be the same fest? I didn't quite catch what he said. Because the council seemed willing to approve that date but unwilling to approve the later date.

[alexbarbosa42]

Wonder why the first date in August wouldn't work.. was that the date Ferg said that Sam Bush and some other key artist couldn't attend so it wouldn't really be the same fest? I didn't quite catch what he said. Because the council seemed willing to approve that date but unwilling to approve the later date.

that's what it sounded like to me. Sounds like he couldn't get some of the core TBF artists for the 3rd weekend of August. He could get most of them for the last weekend of Aug, but it would put a lot of strain on the town/film fest.

[Skubes]

Anyone able to provide a cliff notes version of the first part of the meeting before the Q&A?

[MeetMeAtTheCreek]

Wonder why the first date in August wouldn't work.. was that the date Ferg said that Sam Bush and some other key artist couldn't attend so it wouldn't really be the same fest? I didn't quite catch what he said. Because the council seemed willing to approve that date but unwilling to approve the later date.

that's what it sounded like to me. Sounds like he couldn't get some of the core TBF artists for the 3rd weekend of August. He could get most of them for the last weekend of Aug, but it would put a lot of strain on the town/film fest.

That makes sense - thanks for clarifying. Yeah and to follow up with your other question about whether or not June is cancelled - it sounded like they had to wait for state and federal guidelines for how many people can be gathered, etc. Which right now, those guidelines are prolonged until about six weeks before the fest, which they were saying would be cutting it pretty close.

I'm really appreciating this local businessman who is asking if some of the other festivals (like the film fest) can be changed to accommodate Bluegrass.

[MeetMeAtTheCreek]

Anyone able to provide a cliff notes version of the first part of the meeting before the Q&A?

Sure - Bluegrass came forward with a proposal to move the fest to a proposed two dates in August. When the meeting started, it was stated that only the later date in August would work - I believe because of Sam Bush's availability and some other key artists. 

That presented a big problem because the date is right before the Film Festival, and the organizer of that fest said that he wouldn't be able to pull off his festival with Bluegrass ending as they were setting up. He also said he was concerned because of the availability of lodging.

The council members all expressed an openness to a change in the date in general in order to alleviate economic hardship to the town but were concerned about what strain two big festivals (Bluegrass and Film) back to back would present on the town. The council was unwilling to vote in favor of the second date in August.

Ferg was a champ and said they just wanted to help the town and they would do whatever they needed to, even if that meant canceling altogether and just looking at 2021.

So basically, Bluegrass organizers are going to look into if another date in September or October would work, but Ferg called it a "concert" so that makes me concerned it wouldn't be a festival with camping, etc. He said no matter what it's not really going to be "Bluegrass." (quote unquote). Which made me sad, ha ha.

I'm getting the feeling it will either be moved to Sept/October, and a different festival than usual, or canceled altogether for 2020

Hope that helped!

[Skubes]

Anyone able to provide a cliff notes version of the first part of the meeting before the Q&A?

Sure - Bluegrass came forward with a proposal to move the fest to a proposed two dates in August. When the meeting started, it was stated that only the later date in August would work - I believe because of Sam Bush's availability and some other key artists. 

That presented a big problem because the date is right before the Film Festival, and the organizer of that fest said that he wouldn't be able to pull off his festival with Bluegrass ending as they were setting up. He also said he was concerned because of the availability of lodging.

The council members all expressed an openness to a change in the date in general in order to alleviate economic hardship to the town but were concerned about what strain two big festivals (Bluegrass and Film) back to back would present on the town. The council was unwilling to vote in favor of the second date in August.

Ferg was a champ and said they just wanted to help the town and they would do whatever they needed to, even if that meant canceling altogether and just looking at 2021.

So basically, Bluegrass organizers are going to look into if another date in September or October would work, but Ferg called it a "concert" so that makes me concerned it wouldn't be a festival with camping, etc. He said no matter what it's not really going to be "Bluegrass." (quote unquote). Which made me sad, ha ha.

I'm getting the feeling it will either be moved to Sept/October, and a different festival than usual, or canceled altogether for 2020

Hope that helped!

Thank you so much!!! This is great info, albeit not necessarily “great” news. Appreciate your summary.

And whooo, yeah, there’s no way it could be a traditional TBG in October. Not exactly camping weather.

[TonyBurkenstocks]

I guess my thoughts would be that if September/October would not really be "Bluegrass", would it be the worst thing to still attempt the first August weekend even without Sam and some other main artists? I know that it would still really not be "Bluegrass" without them either... but it seems like we are taking some sacrifices with either option. As much as I love Sam and so many of the artists, the most important thing for me is being able to spend a week in TP with some of my dearest friends, which sounds like it wouldn't be as much of an option with the later dates. I know that August is also a little up in the air with the virus, and I do not have any insight into what artists could make what weekends work, and there are a million moving pieces... but just my two cents. Thank you for everything Ferg, we all appreciate your hard work!

[MeetMeAtTheCreek]

I guess my thoughts would be that if September/October would not really be "Bluegrass", would it be the worst thing to still attempt the first August weekend even without Sam and some other main artists? I know that it would still really not be "Bluegrass" without them either... but it seems like we are taking some sacrifices with either option. As much as I love Sam and so many of the artists, the most important thing for me is being able to spend a week in TP with some of my dearest friends, which sounds like it wouldn't be as much of an option with the later dates. I know that August is also a little up in the air with the virus, and I do not have any insight into what artists could make what weekends work, and there are a million moving pieces... but just my two cents. Thank you for everything Ferg, we all appreciate your hard work!

That's exactly what I was thinking! I'm wondering which main artists they were talking about - and even if they could book other artists who might not have been available on another date?

I LOVE Sam and you're right, it wouldn't be the same without him. However - if it were a choice between Sam and not having it at all, or Sam and not being able to camp... I think I'd just take having the festival.

Ferg is awesome, he did such a good job during the meeting!