Despite the federal government's ban on non-essential outdoor gatherings of 500 people or more due to COVID-19 organisers of the Birdsville Big Red Bash are still hoping it can go ahead.
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The Bash says it will make a final decision on April 24 at the latest.
If the Bash doesn't go ahead this year all of the artists on the 2020 line up will be back in 2021 and your 2020 ticket would become valid for 2021. If you are unable or don't wish to attend in 2021 you could request a refund, which would be provided.
Big Red Bash founder Greg Donovan said that since its humble beginnings in 2013 when John Williamson put on a small show for a few hundred people on top of Big Red, the Bash has become a sold out, multi-day music festival that welcomes around 10,000 people.
"We have faced and overcome many hurdles but this year, the Big Red Bash is facing its biggest challenge yet, with COVID-19 placing this year's festival in jeopardy," Mr Donovan said.
Our hearts go out to other events and companies that have been forced to cancel last-minute, as we know that most of their event delivery budgets would have already been committed or spent."
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Mr Donovan said that if the Big Red Bash is to go ahead this year, there will be a new set of challenges and risks.
"We are currently in the process of identifying and working through these with a range of stakeholders including state and local governments and health authorities," he said.
"The Big Red Bash is backed by a stellar team of seasoned event professionals, who are highly adept at working in harsh, remote and challenging environments that entail a wide range of risks, and that we're up to the task of managing this new challenge.
"We place the utmost focus on the safety of everyone involved in the event and will continue to do so."
Mr Donovan said the Bash was nearly four months away.
"We are not going to rush into making any final decisions about this year's event," he said.
"Our team is working calmly through a wide range of issues and assessing the COVID-19 situation as it evolves day-to-day. At this stage, although there is a range of predictions, nobody can tell how the virus cycle will play out.
"Given this uncertainty, we are continuing to prepare for this year's Big Red Bash."
If the 2020 Bash is unable to proceed, it would be back again in 2021 from July 6-8.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
