Montreal’s Osheaga festival postponed until 2022 because of COVID-19 concerns

MONTREAL – The organizers of Montreal’s Osheaga Music and Arts Festival are cancelling their summer event for the second consecutive year.

Organizer Evenko says on its website it is postponing its 15th edition until July 2022 because of what it calls an ever-evolving COVID-19 situation.

The festival was expected to take place July 30 to Aug. 1 at Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau and feature headliners including the Foo Fighters, Cardi B and Post Malone.

Osheaga is the latest summer festival in Canada to pull the plug in light of surging COVID-19 cases and public health restrictions that prohibit public gatherings.

Other festival cancellations include Ontario’s Boots and Hearts, RBC Bluesfest in Ottawa, and Country Thunder festivals in Craven, Sask. and Calgary.

Osheaga says all the passes bought for its cancelled 2020 and 2021 events will be honoured in 2022.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2021.