Photo Credit: Matty Adame
Las Vegas’ Life is Beautiful festival is the latest music festival to skip 2020 altogether.
The festival was set for September 18-20 this year, bringing into question other postponements. Bonnaroo in Tennessee postponed from June to September 24-27, just a few days later.
The Life is Beautiful festival joins Shambhala, Voodoo, and many other festivals rescheduling for 2021.
“We were more excited than ever to share the vision of this year’s festival with you. Instead, this moment has allowed us to pause and assess what is truly important. It has given us the space to reflect and to grow, to refocus on our work, and to find new ways to give back to our community beyond the three days of the festival,” the official statement reads. “Our hearts are heavy, but our resilience is unstoppable.”
The move to cancel the Life is Beautiful festival so far out shows most organizers don’t want to gamble with cancellations.
Las Vegas is currently torn between re-opening to attract tourism and protecting its citizens. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman wants to see a return to regular business. But the mayor does not have the authority to re-open casinos or other businesses. That authority falls under governor Steve Sisolak’s domain, and he seems hesitant to re-open businesses too quickly.
One casino exec, Robert Glen Goldenstein, says he doubts whether Americans will be willing to travel after the pandemic. “It’s different [than Asia], and I think it will be a little bit difficult here,” Goldstein said of health precautions. Before the pandemic, health and safety measures in Asia were already standard.
It has taken Americans more time to adjust to social distancing guidelines and guidance on wearing masks in public. Such actions may need to continue until scientists can develop a coronavirus vaccine to keep us safe from infection.