Merlefest has postponed their 2021 festival from April until October amid coronavirus concerns. The festival dates for 2021 will now be on September 16-19, with Merlefest resuming their usual dates for the last weekend of April in 2022.

The postponement was announced in a Facebook post, with the festival emphasizing that the changed dates would only be the case for 2021. Merlefest hosts bluegrass, Americana and string-music on its 13 stages for three days and is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, the festival helping to fund scholarships and educational needs.

“After months of deliberation and extensive research with leading medical experts we feel it is in the best interest of our fans, artists, staff, college, and community to reschedule the 2021 festival to the fall,” festival director Ted Hagaman said in a statement. “We have a reputation for providing a quality, safe and organized festival and feel this move is necessary to again deliver that type of event. We’d like to express appreciation to many for their ‘can do’ spirit in rearranging schedules and plans to accommodate this move.”

Merlefests’ 2020 lineup was supposed to include Willie Nelson, John Prine, Alison Krauss and many more. The 2021 and 2022 installments of the festival will be held at its usual location of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

The majority of music festivals have been cancelled in 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with most dates being pushed back until 2021. Several festivals are already announcing their lineups for 2021, including Download Festival, Sea. Hear. Now, Hellfest Open Air and more.