The following is a letter sent by the Oyster Ridge organizers:
It is with a heavy heart that we are sending you this letter. After much consideration and deliberation, the conclusions drawn by the Original Oystergrass, Inc. Board of Directors and Oyster Ridge Music Festival Committee were the same, in that the 2020 Oyster Ridge Music Festival will be cancelled due to the Coronavirus (COVID‐19) worldwide pandemic.
The decision was an extremely difficult one. It was made with the highest regard to public health and safety as well as the well‐being of all the performers who have been booked, our countless sponsors, volunteers, vendors, and festivalgoers.
For the past twenty‐five years, the festival has provided the people of this community something to look forward to. It has provided a generous boost to local businesses and the economy every year. It breaks our heart that this pandemic has curtailed this much needed event this year.
Due to the numerous unknowns at the current time, planning the event has become nearly impossible. The Lincoln County Health Officer, who’s involvement is required, currently has no timeline for when things could begin to open back up. Because of the size of our event, it will also require the involvement and approval of the State Health Officer. Not having any timeline at this point has put nearly all planning at a standstill. We are not positioned financially to spend dollars on this year’s event if there is even a remote possibility that it could not be held. If festivalgoers do not show up, reduced revenue at the festival this year would be detrimental to the possibility of having festivals in the future.
From a risk standpoint, cancelling the event at this time is in the best interest of not only public safety and the safety of all involved with the event, but also for the future of the festival itself.
We will hold the festival in 2021. We are currently working with all the artists who have been signed for this year to move them to the 2021 Festival dates (July 23‐25, 2021).
Please contact us by email regarding your donation at ormfbooking@gmail.com or by phone at 307‐200‐ 1612 to discuss how you would like to handle your contribution. We apologize for this news and any extra work it may cause you; it is devasting to us as well. We hope and pray this all comes to an end as soon as possible for everyone. Stay safe and healthy. We’ll talk soon.
Sincerely,
Thomas Lively
President
Original Oystergrass, Inc. (ORMF)
