Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago canceled due to coronavirus

Tribune Content Agency

CHICAGO — The Pitchfork Music Festival, scheduled for July 17-19 in Union Park, has been canceled because of the novel coronavirus, organizers announced Wednesday.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Run the Jewels and the National were slated to headline the 15th anniversary celebration. Forty-two acts were set to play across three stages. The lineup was announced in February.

Some 18,000 music fans typically attend Pitchfork for each of its three days. Organizers said full refunds will be granted to ticket holders if they fill out an online request form before June 2. Refunds are slated to be processed within seven days with funds hitting the ticket holder’s account three to five days after that.

If a refund is not requested before June 2, tickets for this year’s festival become tickets for the 2021 festival, though next year’s date has not been announced. Those with a ticket payment plan who choose to hold onto their tickets for 2021 can request a payment plan freeze by emailing help@seetickets.us.

“It can be pretty daunting to think about the future of live music right now, but know that we are fully committed to bringing Pitchfork Music Festival back in 2021 if the public health situation allows for it,” organizers said in a statement. They declined to comment further.

Nathanael Geers said he was looking forward to seeing Phoebe Bridgers and Big Thief perform at Pitchfork on July 19. He plans to attend next year’s festival.

“I’ve been expecting it to get canceled for awhile now, in fact, I’m surprised it wasn’t announced sooner,” said Geers, who lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The announcement comes a day after Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday revealed his five-phase plan to reopen Illinois. Festivals and conventions could resume in the final phase, which would begin when there’s a vaccine, treatment or widespread immunity to COVID-19.

It’s shaping up to be a quiet summer in Chicago as this year’s editions of the Spring Awakening Music Festival, the Grant Park Music Festival, Chicago Gospel Music Festival, Chicago Blues Festival and the Chicago House Music Conference & Festival have been canceled because of coronavirus. The entire Ravinia summer 2020 season also was scrapped.

Lollapalooza organizers say they will make a decision about the festival, scheduled for July 30-Aug. 2 in Grant Park, by the end of May. Riot Fest is still scheduled for Sept. 11-13 in Douglas Park.

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