Music festival on the backburner as Covid cases climb

The announcement comes just as the music scene was opening up again on the Mid North Coast.

The River Sounds Music Festival has been postponed.

As the latest Covid crisis escalates a new music festival planned for the Mid North Coast in August has been postponed.

River Sounds was scheduled for August 13 and 14 in Bellingen and had attracted Federal Funding specifically to help revive the sector impacted due to the pandemic in 2020

It was one of two local events to receive funds from the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – Screenwave International Film Festival (SWIFF) held in April received $345,000 and River Sounds $60,000.

Festival director Ben Lewis was “gutted” to share the news in a recent email to ticket holders.

“The health and safety of our patrons, artists, crew, vendors, suppliers, contractors and the Bellingen Shire Community is at the forefront of everything we do.

“With the growing number of Covid-19 cases in NSW and in other parts of the country, we have no choice but to postpone the event.”

Originally planned for the carpark behind The Federal Hotel the venue was later changed to the Bellingen Showground.

River Sounds was originally planned for the carpark behind The Federal Hotel.

The new date for River Sounds is October 15 and 16 this year.

The majority of the existing line-up will perform on the new dates including Regurgitator, Baker Boy, Butterfingers, Jerome Farah and The Terrys.

Existing ticket holders will be issued new tickets but, if unable to attend, will be offered a full refund.

The popular Bellingen Community Markets were held on Saturday (July 17) with some people expressing concerns about the potential spread of Covid.

Mr Lewis says the River Sounds management team is working closely with NSW Health, NSW Police and Bellingen Shire Council to ensure the event is safe and compliant and it has an approved NSW Health Covid Safety Plan in place, which is evolving in-line with the current restrictions.

Aria award-winning artist Paul Kelly is headed our way in August with ticket holders keeping their fingers crossed his 24-show tour will go ahead.

The Coffs Harbour show on August 12 will be held at the Hoey Moey Hotel, the scene of a recent Covid scare after a person who tested positive for Covid-19 in Sydney visited the hotel.