When it comes to music festivals showcasing Michigan bands and solo artists, regular attendees at this weekend’s Nor-East r Music and Art Festival in Mio rank among the most devoted you ll find anywh…
The state’s music festival scene has exploded over the past 15 years notwithstanding the interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and those involved insist there’s nothing like it anywhere.
Buttermilk Jamboree cancels music fest for second year in a row due to COVID
John Sinkevics
For the second year in a row, Circle Pines Center south of Grand Rapids has canceled Buttermilk Jamboree due to the COVID pandemic.
Organizers of the June music festival – which combines national touring acts with a robust lineup of Michigan artists and family programming at a picturesque site in Barry Township’s community of Delton – had high hopes for a 2021 return of the three-day event until conditions deteriorated.
“We met in March and things seemed so good, so we were going to have a small Buttermilk, but things have really taken a shockingly bad turn for the worse,” said Sasha Ospina, center director, referring to Michigan’s upswing in COVID cases.
Some 2021 summer music festivals cancel for 2nd year; others move forward
John Sinkevics, LocalSpins.com
The 2021 music festival season in Michigan has shaped up as a mixed bag: Some summer events already have canceled for the second year in a row, other festivals are moving full steam ahead with ticket sales, and still others remain in limbo.
With the year-long COVID pandemic continuing to muddy the waters for touring artists and festival organizers, the roster of Michigan music festivals seems to change weekly as previously scheduled events get canceled or postponed.
Potential capacity restrictions, difficulties in booking artists who haven’t committed to touring yet and other concerns have left many festivals looking ahead to 2022 or debating the merits of moving ahead as scheduled.