New York’s Governors Ball Festival Announces September 2021 Dates

In an announcement reflecting Dr. Anthony Fauci’s statement that concerts may return in the fall “if all goes well,” New York’s premier rock music festival, Governors Ball, announced its 2021 dates for September, three months after its traditional June. dates.

“New Years, New Dates,” the announcement reads, promising the lineup “is coming soon.” No venue has been announced for the festival, which has taken place on New York’s Randalls Island in recent years.

“Rest assured that we are working closely with city and state authorities to ensure a safe experience for everyone. For more information on how to transfer your 2020 tickets or request a refund, visit http://govball.com”

Obviously, with vaccines just beginning to roll out and much of the world still ravaged by the coronavirus, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the concerts scheduled for 2021, as reflected in the festival’s FAQ, which says in part:
“Is festival 2021 definitely happening?
“As vaccines are rolling out and many experts predict a return to live music events in the fall, we are hopeful. We are booking amazing programming and making sure all suggested security protocols are followed. Rest assured that safety is our first priority and we are working closely with all city and state authorities throughout. …
“If the festival doesn’t take place, will we get a refund?
“Absolutely.”
Fauci made the statement about him with the caveat that the public may be wearing masks and practicing social distancing, so he suggested that the public may still be required to wear masks for some time; how that would work at a festival remains to be seen. Although GovBall takes place outdoors, transportation and egress will inevitably involve close human contact.

“If everything goes right, this is will occur some time in the fall of 2021, so that by the time we get to the early to mid-fall, you can have people feeling safe performing onstage as well as people in the audience,” Fauci said, noting that the return depends upon getting between 70% to 85% of the population vaccinated, according to the New York Times. Along with the vaccination, Fauci said venues and theaters may need to take further safety precautions, particularly if they do not have effective ventilation. His comments took place on Saturday at a conference held by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.

Of course, the 2020 GovBall, scheduled for early June, was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.The lineup for the tenth annual installment of the festival was to include Missy Elliott — making her first major NYC performance in over a decade — Tame Impala, Stevie Nicks, Vampire Weekend, Solange, Miley Cyrus, Flume, Ellie Goulding, H.E.R., Swae Lee, Rufus Du Sol, Portugal. The Man, Foals, Summer Walker, Jon Bellion, Khruangbin, Carly Rae Jepsen, Maren Morris, Of Monsters and Men, Milky Chance, Bleachers, Banks and many more.

“It is with a heavy heart that we must announced the cancellation of Governors Ball 2020 due to COVID-19,” the announcement reads in part. “Simply put — due to current government mandates and the evolving situation in NYC, it is neither safe nor prudent to move forward with our June dates. The well-being of our fans, artists, staff, vendors, partners and the surrounding NYC community is always our #1 priority.”