Hi Blues Fans and Happy New Year! Cheers to 2021!
I hope everyone had a good holiday and that you’re still staying safe and healthy. I spent December going through old files and notes about Blues and trying to remember how the heck to put on a festival. I’m feeling a bit rusty. I’m really not kidding, where do I start? What all do I need to do? What needs to be done now and what can wait until later? I have so many to do lists floating around, it’s crazy!
December was productive in that I have a few bands signed, and that means executed contracts in my hands. I have a few more that I’m waiting for them to sign, and a few that I’m waiting to get a contract. I really think that you’ll love this 2021 lineup!
I also spent the last two months going through all of the suggestions of bands you’ve asked to play our festival. That was no easy feat. But I looked every single one of them up. I’ve got their website, you tube videos, etc all in a spreadsheet. And I have their potential costs, as well as their management information and what I personally think about the bands. And oh my! I fell in love with even more blues artists thanks to all of you. Thank goodness I already had 2021 lineup in mind, because this would have thrown me. But I’m excited to keep planning for future years. In fact, add that to my to do list – I need to complete my 3 year music plan!
I’m also working on sponsors, this is very difficult right now. I’ve got some sponsors who of course are on board and then others who just don’t know yet if they will be able to. And I get it! I’ve also relaxed my payment until just before the festival in case we need to cancel.
So, let’s chat a bit about cancelling. None of us know what is going to happen in the next few months. We also don’t know how the vaccine will impact things. I personally also don’t know what if any limitations the State, County or even Flagstaff would put on events. Heck the driving range could tell me no as well. I am not in control here.
I’ve gotten some not so nice emails about me moving forward with this event. Please know it is far easier for me to plan and cancel rather than not plan and scramble at the last minute. This event takes months to plan, and execute. Trying to do it in a short amount of time might just kill me. Also remember, I’m a one woman show. There is no staff here, just me! And the dogs.
Everyone’s safety is my first priority. The safety of all of you, my staff, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, artists and my city. Remember I was the first to cancel this year because I knew deep down it wouldn’t get better, and I was right. My gut is all over the place right now. I don’t know if it’s a full year of not doing my job, or just the overall uncertainty in the world. I don’t have a gut feeling either way right now, which is also why I’m starting to plan.
I also want you to know that financially I can’t make this event work if we have to be 6 feet apart. Not to mention I don’t know how that would even look! I know some of you, and you want to be in front of the stage dancing with your partner and friends.
So, with all of that said, I am moving forward, cautiously. I am not putting tickets on sale anytime soon. I’m thinking tickets on sale April 1st at the earliest. This will give us all a chance to see how things play out and what our comfort level is.
I want nothing more than to throw a kick ass Blues Festival in 2021 – but it’s out of my hands if I get to do so. And as a control freak this is so incredible hard to deal with.
So keep wearing a mask, social distance, wash your hands and keep playing the blues!
Jen
