Londoners won't be able to take in music from around the world while parked in lawn chairs in Victoria Park this summer, but they will be able to hear those same tunes while parked in front of their laptops or smartphones.
TD Sunfest, which had to cancel its 2020 festival in the downtown park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced it will present a virtual version of the event over two days - July 10 and July 11. The online edition will see exclusive video performances by 15 international and national music ensembles from Brazil, Colombia, South Korea, Sweden, Estonia, and Ukraine.
“Of course, we wish we could have offered the full TD Sunfest experience in Victoria Park, however, under very challenging circumstances, we are adapting to a new virtual format, which we hope will extend our global reach and complement our established outdoor event going forward,” Sunfest Artistic Director and Executive Alfredo Caxaj said in a statement.
Artists who will be taking part include Azagua from Cape Verde, Black String from South Korea, Colectro from Colombia and Nano Stern from Chile. Canadian favourites Five Alarm Funk from Vancouver and Le Vent du Nord from Quebec are also preparing videos for the virtual music festival.
Fans will be able to live stream Sunfest from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each night through the festival's Facebook and YouTube channels.
In addition to the music, a digital marketplace is being established to allow vendors who were slated to attend the 2020 festival in-person to sell their goods. Sunfest is known for its one-of-a-kind craft vendors and food from around the world. Sunfest officials are also encouraging those taking in the virtual performances to support local restaurants by ordering takeout to enjoy with the live stream.
