Cancelled Concerts and Forgone Festivals

Carly Torres, Editor

Covid-19 has taken over our lives since mid-March. School, events, and sports have been cancelled and postponed all across the world. The school year is not the only thing that has been affected by this pandemic, but it is already taking effect on summer activities. How long will this virus keep us from the events and occasions we’ve been looking forward to?
It is hard to know how long this pandemic will be around. It is, however, known that social distancing is vital in relinquishing this problem. It may not be an enjoyable process for some, but it is extremely important in creating an opportunity for society to be able to go back out and interact with each other.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee explained that, “It’s unreasonable, I think, at this point to expect that the virus will quote-on-quote disappear during our summer months,”.
Coronavirus will still be a large threat to public safety during the summer months. This has led some of the larger touring artists to cancel and postpone their tours. Some of these artists include Khalid, BTS, Pearl Jam, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Camila Cabello, Green Day, Avril Lavigne, Madonna, Jonas Brothers, The Who, and many more.
“Anyone who knows me, knows that performing has always been my favorite part of working in music.” Harry Styles stated, “However, during times like these, the safety and protection of touring crew, fans, and everyone else around the world is an immediate priority.”.
Public safety is the number one priority for many of these touring artists, thus they must do their best to eliminate the possibility of the virus spreading at a concert. On top of tours being cancelled, many festivals have been cancelled.The state of Utah has already had to cancel or postpone many of its festivals and events including, The Utah Pride Festival and Parade, Utah Arts Festival, Utah Fan X Comic Convention, The Utah Shakespearean Festival, and more.
Summer will not be the same without all of these events and activities to look forward to. It is important that we help to flatten the curve of Coronavirus and get back to enjoying our summer and the company of our friends. Please stay safe and stay home!