Sled Island cancels 2020 Festival

By Troy Hasselman, April 6 2020 —

Sled Island has cancelled the 2020 edition of it’s festival in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival said in a statement on its website that the cancellation comes from numerous factors, including travel restrictions involving several countries which acts participating in the festival are from, an order from the city of Calgary on April 3 that prohibits gatherings of 50 people or more until June 30 and a province-wide order from Alberta’s public health officer banning gatherings of over 15 people.

“While this news obviously comes as a huge disappointment, we would like to acknowledge and applaud that the City is taking this necessary step to contain the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate the pressure on our health care system to best care for those affected by it,” the statement says.

The statement also acknowledges the other organizations in the city that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

“Perhaps most devastating to us is knowing the impact that these cancellations will have on our beloved community: the venues, artists, crews and partners who have all already been hit so hard by this crisis,” the statement says.

The scope of the festival along its limited resources has caused the festival to be cancelled, rather than postponed. Sled Island says it has every intention of returning in 2021.

Sled Island says that refunds are available to pass and ticket holders that request them, the statement also encourages those with the means to do so to transfer their passes to next year’s festival or donate the cost of their tickets or passes to Sled Island in exchange for a charitable tax receipt.

The full statement with more information about the cancellation, donations, refunds and future plans for the festival can be found on Sled Island’s website.