As further COVID-19 restrictions indicate the prolonging of quarantining, an unexpected announcement from BottleRock Napa Valley brings the potential of a live show back to center stage. With COVID-19 continuing to maintain a very potent presence in the US, the majority of planned live shows have been and continue to be delayed, rescheduled, or cancelled altogether. However, one local festival has announced that their next show may be sooner than those missing festivals might have expected: BottleRock Napa Valley.

BottleRock Napa Valley has been operating since 2013 at Napa Valley Expo and has hosted a variety of artists over the years, including Weezer, Public Enemy, Foo Fighters, Santana, and many others. Previously, the festivals were held in late May, but when the initial wave of the pandemic rolled through the world, it was pushed back to October of this year as a precaution, in hopes that the virus would have been calmed by then enough for live shows to resume. While there have been attempted workarounds to the outdoor musical performances this year, as seen with organizations like Insomniac Records and Vital Events hosting drive-in raves earlier this year. However, out of an abundance of caution, BottleRock Napa Valley has announced that they will be pushing back the festival to Sept. 3-5, 2021, or Labor Day weekend. The BottleRock team states on their website for the event that this decision is for the sake of “our patrons, artists, vendors, staff, and surrounding communities and in continued coordination with local and state authorities.” This statement comes shortly after the announcement by California governor Gavin Newsom who announced a return to stricter policies on social distancing and safe COVID-19 practices. However, there is no official listed information yet on the BottleRock site as to what measures the festival plans to take in order to meet the current health guidelines or those that may follow in the coming months.

The lineup of the now postponed festival has also been subject to change. Originally, artists that were scheduled to perform at this year’s festival included groups like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Of Monsters and Men, Blondie, and many others. However, in light of the new festival date, BottleRock Napa’s site has changed the lineup from the previous listing to the promise of a new lineup come early 2021. 

Attendees who have already secured a ticket to the festival before the date change are being given options of a refund or simply to keep their ticket to be used next September. The refund period is set to last from Nov. 18 to Dec. 2, and can be done though links provided on the website. Despite the postponement, tickets are still being sold, with prices ranging from anywhere between $187 for a one day ticket and $397 for the full weekend.

Even as the pandemic continues to serve as a source of struggle for the live music industry, from clubs to venues, there are still several companies that are attempting to adapt to this current situation and still deliver festivals to live music fans, as well as keep themselves afloat. Anyone curious about more information on BottleRock Napa Valley can find out more as it develops at bottlerocknapavalley.com.