CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess) — The City of Chicago on Tuesday finally revealed that the live version of Lollapalooza is a officially no-go for 2020.
Lolla, which was scheduled take place in Chicago’s Grant Park from July 30-August 2nd, joined a host of other permitted events in Chicago that were canceled in Tuesday’s announcement by Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs.
Other events included Chicago SummerDance, Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza in Grant Park; the Chicago Air and Water Show at North Avenue Beach; the Chicago Jazz Festival in Millennium Park; the majority of programming at the Chicago Riverwalk, the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park; and other festivals, parades and athletic events, some of which had previously been postponed or canceled.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the decision to cancel the events was rooted in science, and said the risks of bringing thousands of people together at this stage in the recovery process were too high in her estimation.
“We must provide ways for people to enjoy the spirit of a Chicago summer while prioritizing health and safety. As difficult as it is to remove these in-person events from our calendar, we are pulling out all the stops for an inventive, engaging and fun festival season this summer,” Lightfoot said in a press statement.
In a separate statement, Lollapalooza organizers C3 Presents said, “We wish we could bring Lollapalooza to Grant Park again this year, but we understand why things can’t move forward as planned. The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff and community is always our highest priority.”
“Rest assured, we are working hard behind the scenes to deliver a spectacular celebration of Lollapalooza’s 30th Anniversary in the summer of 2021, and we can’t wait to celebrate it with you,” the statement continued.
Lollapalooza organizers said that Lollapalooza isn’t completely a wash for 2020 and they plan to hold a weekend-long virtual event in its place that includes archival sets from the festival’s flagship Chicago edition, as well as from its six international expansions.
More details about the virtual event will be announced in July, organizers said.
