A statement about Big Ears and COVID-19

We have received some inquiries about the potential impact of coronavirus, specifically COVID-19, on the Big Ears Festival, and we want to assure you that we are monitoring the situation closely.

With opening day for Big Ears still two and a half weeks from now, we are continuing with our preparation and planning to produce the festival as scheduled.

The safety of festival attendees is our top priority and we will make prudent and thoughtful decisions as the situation develops. We will, of course, follow the guidance of health professionals and public officials. We believe that all decisions related to producing the festival should be rooted in facts, not fear.

None of our festival attendees – according to our ticketing data – are traveling from countries where there are travel restrictions in place. We also know of no plans to cancel any of the public events scheduled throughout our region – theme park openings, arena concerts, sporting events of all kinds, and other concerts.

The standard industry policy is that tickets are not refundable unless an event is canceled. However, we recognize that this is an exceptional situation, and we do not want any one taking risks that would endanger their own health or that of others, so we will be discussing how we might modify this policy appropriately in the next few days.

We will of course be continuing to watch the situation as it develops and will certainly keep you informed of any significant changes that may occur. We appreciate your patience and understanding – and we wish everyone the very best in these difficult times.