Montreux Jazz Festival Cancelled For First Time In 53 Years

The iconic Montreux Jazz Festival, scheduled for July 2-17, has been canceled. The decision came after Swiss officials extended bans on large gatherings while easing some other restrictions.

It is the first time the festival has been canceled in its 53 year history.

The Festival is working to reschedule concerts that have already been announced – Lionel Richie and Brittany Howard on 8 July 2020, and Lenny Kravitz and Black Pumas on 13 July – to next year.

The full statement from the festival:

It is with deep regret that the organizers of the Montreux Jazz Festival must today announce that this year’s event, which was set to be held from 3 to 18 July 2020, will not take place. The program planned for this summer will be partly carried over to next year’s Festival, which will take place from 2 to 17 July 2021.

This Thursday 16 April, the Swiss Federal Council announced that it would be gradually easing some of the protective measures against the coronavirus, but keeping the majority of the necessary hygiene and social distancing measures in place. As such, it is now impossible for us to consider holding an event on the scale of Montreux Jazz Festival in July, just as it is for our fellow organizers of other summer festivals in Switzerland and around the world. Public health concerns naturally take precedence over all other considerations.

This is the first time the Festival has had to be canceled in its 53 years of making history, bringing people together and producing legendary musical moments. Until the very end, all of us here in the Festival team were still hoping to share these magical moments with everyone who, like us, cannot imagine a summer without the Montreux Jazz Festival. Our thoughts go out to the staff members, artists and their support teams, technicians and engineers and to all our partners who make the event possible, from local hotels and businesses to everyone who lives in Montreux, and of course our loyal festival-goers.

The Festival is working on rescheduling the concerts that have already been announced – Lionel Richie and Brittany Howard on 8 July 2020, and Lenny Kravitz and Black Pumas on 13 July – to next year, and will keep all ticket holders informed.

We can’t wait to see you again in Montreux from 2 to 17 July 2021, for sixteen days of extraordinary celebrations and musical magic!