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Kamloops  

Music in the Park may be cancelled for a second year if pandemic restrictions persist, city says

Music in the Park cancelled?

The Tournament Capital’s longest running music festival may be cancelled for another year if restrictions continue, according to the City of Kamloops.

Sean Smith, the city’s business operations and events supervisor, told Castanet Kamloops the city might consider putting together a modified version of Music in the Park if restrictions allow, but they “need to err on the side of caution.”

“We don’t want to be seen as encouraging people to gather prematurely. It would be pretty hard to monitor and to ensure that people socially distance in that park space,” Smith said.

Music in the Park ran for 26 years before COVID-19 caused the festival to be cancelled last summer. A statement released by the city last year said the decision was made with guidance from provincial health authorities regarding large gatherings and physical distancing.

Smith said he has been hearing the current restrictions might possibly be extended past Victoria Day, but nothing is certain yet.

“The indications that we’re seeing would lend itself to suggest that there will be no Music in the Park this year,” Smith said.

Henry Small, the festival organizer, said he had discussed with the city the possibility of putting together a smaller version of Music in the Park, booking only local acts for a couple of nights per week in the summer.

Small said he’s “prepared” to organize a smaller festival, but said the decision to move forward is entirely dependent on pandemic restrictions and receiving the go-ahead from the city.



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