Another popular outdoor festival in London has decided to go virtual for a second straight summer.
TD Sunfest, which traditionally draws big crowds of people to Victoria Park to hear music from around the world, will be livestreamed July 8 to 11.
Festival organizers made the decision to go virtual again after consulting with public health officials and local government as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on.
"The health, safety and well-being of the Sunfest family and the wider community in which we live are, once again, our major concerns: Despite the effectiveness of vaccination, we don’t feel people are ready yet to gather in a packed Victoria Park this summer," Sunfest Executive and Co-Artistic Director Alfredo Caxaj said in a statement on Wednesday. "Nevertheless, should conditions improve markedly, we are prepared to pivot to a hybrid version of TD Sunfest (i.e., mostly online performances complemented by a few in-person events on a much smaller scale than usual).”
The four night livestreamed event, dubbed TD Sunfest Connected 2021, will feature 25 international and national world music and jazz ensembles. The performances will be aired through the festival's Facebook and YouTube channels and simulcast on several radio stations including 94.9 CHRW (Radio Western) and CIUT 89.5 FM in Toronto. More details, including a list of participating acts, will be released next month.
Those planning on tuning into Sunfest online are encouraged to order takeout from the festival's local vendors and restaurants.
"As we look forward to reconnecting in Victoria Park in July 2022, the second edition of TD Sunfest Connected will be a highly immersive experience, offering our online fans creativity, fellowship – and, of course, plenty of funky dance moves," said Caxaj.
Sunfest is the second summer festival in the city to announce it wouldn't return to in-person celebrations this year. Last month, the Home County Music & Art Festival confirmed its in-person event, scheduled for July 16-18 in Victoria Park, is being postponed until 2022 because of the pandemic. Organizers do hope to offer a virtual Home County concert as they did the previous year.
