Music

Country Fest Postponed to 2021

despite their darndest efforts, Cadott music festival cancels August event

V1 Staff, photos by Branden Nall |

Country Fest 2019
Country Fest 2019

 Joining the bandwagon of other high-profile music festivals in the Chippewa Valley, Country Fest is postponing its August festival until June 24-26, 2021.

Earlier this spring, Country Fest 2020 had been moved from its original June dates until August as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. However, organizers said on Friday that Chippewa County decided not to approve event permits for August because of uncertainty over the public health situation.

“Unfortunately, this is an uphill battle that we just can’t win,” said fest organizers in a press release statement issued on Friday morning.

One bright spot: Organizers plan to bring all the artists booked for 2020 to the June 2021 festival instead. 

Tickets and campsites already purchased will roll over to the 2021 festival, so don’t lose them! If the 2021 festival dates won’t work for you, you can also request a refund. All ticketholders will receive an email this week from support@countryfest.com with more information. 

The full press release can be read here: 

Country Fest Moves to June 2021

Despite Best Efforts, Cadott Country Music Festival Forced to Postpone to 2021

CADOTT, Wis. June 5, 2020 -- Country Fest organizers have been pushing through to make our August 2020 festival happen. Unfortunately, this is an uphill battle that we just can’t win. With great disappointment, we are forced to postpone our 2020 event to June 24-26, 2021. Country Fest will not take place in August 2020, as previously announced.

We are crushed! Our festival partners have been nothing but collaborative and cooperative in planning an August 2020 event that could be safe and fun for all. All of the artists booked for August are eager to play shows for you again. Each of our subcontractors are prepared to get back to business. Every one of our sponsors, partners, and suppliers are on board to support the $15 million economic impact that Country Fest provides to the greater Chippewa Valley each year. Most importantly, thousands of fans that need this now more than ever are ready to experience the power of live music again. We created extensive safety guidelines based on CDC recommendations, and we looked to industry leaders like Walt Disney World and the Las Vegas strip for additional measures we could enact to safely host our festival in August. We had all hands on deck to prepare the festival grounds for new safety measures to make it a great experience for all who’d choose to attend. Country Fest had done due diligence in offering refunds or ticket transfers to those with underlying conditions or to people who felt unsafe/uncomfortable with attending our festival in 2020.

Despite all of these efforts, Chippewa County decided in our meeting this week to not approve our event permits for August 2020. Even though the Chippewa Valley has seen low case numbers of COVID-19, the decision was based on the uncertainty of what August will bring. Know that we wouldn’t have fought to hold our festival in August unless we were confident in providing you with a safe environment. The health and safety of our fans and our community is always our #1 concern!

We’ve seen your messages, comments, emails, and calls about how much you all need Country Fest to happen! You work hard all year for your one weekend getaway to let loose, listen to your favorite music, and experience pure happiness. We love that Country Fest is your escape. We’re hopeful that better days are ahead for us all, but are saddened that we can’t play a much-needed part in rebuilding the livelihood of our community this summer! Here’s some good news: we plan to bring all 2020 acts back for Country Fest 2021, as best we can. Our 2020 headliners are working on their routing now for our June 2021 festival! Watch for more lineup details in the coming months. Looking forward to June 2021 when we can reunite at our Happy Place!

TO OUR TICKET HOLDERS

The tickets/campsites you purchased from us for Country Fest 2020 will automatically roll over to the June 24-26, 2021 festival dates. Please hang on to your 2020 tickets/camping passes because they will be good for June 2021! If you are unable to attend the June 2021 dates, you can request a refund. Every person that placed an order through the Country Fest ticketing site will receive an email this week from support@countryfest.com with details.

The Country Fest office is a small local business with limited staff. Please be patient with us! We truly appreciate your understanding and continued support. Can’t wait til we’re together again next summer at Country Fest 2021!