Organisers of the annual Leek Blues & Americana Festival, which has grown in popularity and reputation since it launched in 2013, have decided that the 2020 festival will not go ahead in October.
The decision was taken after analysing government guidelines and the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) ‘roadmap’ for recovery, as well as consulting with venues, sponsors, and artists.
Festival committee chairman JR Mountford said: “It’s disappointing for us to have to make this decision, but we felt it was the right way to go given the uncertainty around live entertainment, post lockdown.
“We have spoken with venues, sponsors and artists and everyone agreed that it was best to cancel the 2020 festival and put all our efforts in to making the 2021 festival the best yet.
“With an extremely robust organisational structure and fantastic support from venues, sponsors, artists, and volunteers, we can now divert our energy to next year.
“In the meantime, we will support local venues however we can to kick-start the live music scene in Leek as government guidelines permit.”
For further information and updates visit: www.leekblues.co.uk or the Facebook page @Leekblues
Photo: JR Mountford with festival committee member and musician John Crimes