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| Special Note: Following an unprecedented year of global impact by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, on our own industry and many others, we look to the year ahead with new signs of hope and positivity. That noted, there are still many challenges to be faced, support to be provided, and creative new directions to be explored together. During the weeks and months and year ahead, we will continue to use the IFEA Event Insider to provide a broad representation of global news coverage, as well as access to the latest information about other important programs and critical resources, government support, vaccine development and distribution, research surveys, et al., with a goal of bringing our industry, our communities and our world back together again, as soon as possible, safely and sustainably.
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As the Events & Entertainment industry returns to work, it will be necessary to develop a Health & Safety strategy to make customers, guests and performers feel comfortable again in “mass gatherings”.
Learn how Aggreko Clean Air can help you provide your customers with safe and healthy engineered HVAC solutions.
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Macon, Georgia's International Cherry Blossom Festival is back on for 2021
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Why travel to D.C. when Georgia is home to the cherry blossom capital of the world? That's the title Macon claims, thanks to its more than 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees.
The Macon trees were first discovered by William Fickling in 1949. He didn't recognize a blossom in his backyard, but came across the same trees in Washington D.C.
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CMA Fest officially cancelled for the 2nd year in a row
Digital Music News
Country music festival CMA Fest has been cancelled for the second year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Country Music Association made the announcement yesterday, canceling the June event. It is one of the oldest country music festivals, getting its start in 1972.
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SXSW creates XR Austin, Texas for online festival
The Austin Chronicle
Missing shouldering your way through the South by Southwest crowds? Lamenting that you won't have to work out how to sprint from Red River to Congress to catch a show? Don't panic: For its 2021 online iteration, SXSW has collaborated with extended reality experts VRrOOm to create a virtual downtown Austin in the SXSW Online XR world.
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Live Nation CEO predicts huge 2022 for international tours & events
YourEDM.com
Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino predicts live music will bounce back in 2022.
The entertainment company's share price just reached an all-time high, peaking at $91.18. This is approximately $15 higher than pre-pandemic shares and reflects the demand for live events to return.
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Quebec organizers want an answer by mid-April about summer festivals restart
The Canadian Press via CTV News
Whether or not major festivals are held next summer will depend on the progress of the vaccination campaign, authorities hinted on Thursday.
However, the representatives of the major events held throughout the summer want to be able to negotiate quickly with public health, as, after mid-April, it will be too late to set up a program.
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Increase Your Revenue With BlastPass!
Ready to take your event to the next level? Saffire's cashless card & wristband increases your revenue and allows customers to have fun without the hassle of a credit card, cash or tokens, making it a hassle-free addition to any event!
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UK's staggered reopening plan presents big risks to events
Event Manager Blog
For a plan with the slogan "data not dates," the UK's reopening timeline is quick to specify dates while remaining vague on data benchmarks.
The basic plan is to reopen incrementally in four stages, with the first stage divided into two steps. The government has given the public a general timeframe by setting a tentative start date for each transition period.
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UK Association of Independent Festivals issues 'final countdown'
Pollstar
In light of the UK's upcoming budget, the country's association representing independent festivals, AIF, is asking for government-backed insurance as well as VAT reliefs in order to save a sector that that generates £1.76 billion in gross value added per year and supports 85,000 jobs.
If both reliefs aren't provided by end of March, "independent festivals could be forced to cancel their 2021 events," an AIF statement reads.
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European Festivals: Reading & Leeds sell out, Download & Primavera Sound postpone
Pollstar
Two of the UK's most beloved festivals, Reading and Leeds, announced that they would go ahead, Aug. 27-29, and almost all tickets have been snatched up in no time.
There are still tickets available for the Friday and Sunday at Leeds, while the twin event in Reading is completely sold out. Both events traditionally share the lineup, which currently bills Stormzy, Lewis Capaldi, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Disclosure, Queens of the Stone Age, Post Malone and many more.
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Festivals selling out after map to end England's lockdown announced
The Guardian
Festival organisers are enjoying record ticket sales after the government's announcement of its roadmap out of lockdown in England, as punters prepare to "make up for lost time" despite uncertainty over what state support exists if last-minute cancellations have to take place.
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Fears grow for Edinburgh, Scotland Festival Fringe's future as venue bosses plead for help over 2021 comeback
The Scotsman
But now some of the leading players in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have raised fears for the very future of the event unless it is given the green light by the Scottish Government within weeks and is underwritten from the public purse.
Venue operators are pleading for clarity on how they will be allowed to operate in the city this summer to head off the prospect of a second August without live events and save long-running companies from financial ruin.
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South Korea's famous tulip fest cancels; about 1 million flowers to be removed
Korea Portal
For about one million flowers from Imja Island to be removed again to prevent an influx of tourists, the annual spring blossom festival was canceled due to the coronavirus disease pandemic threat.
On Thursday, organizers announced a decision to cancel its well-renowned spring tulip festival's onsite viewing and online for the second time around since last year.
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Australian Festival Industry Conference set to return in 2021 for Covid-safety probe
The Industry Observer
The live music community will assemble again this September for the Australian Festival Industry Conference, to be held across three days on the Gold Coast.
Virtual reality specialist Ulrich Schrauth, founder and artistic director behind VRHAM! Festival, will deliver the keynote presentation at AFIC 2021, which takes place at Sea World Resort.
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Covid-19 coronavirus: New Zealand entertainment and sporting fans likely to miss big events
New Zealand Herald
Thousands of people were expected to flock to Auckland, New Zealand's, waterfront for one of the largest celebrations for the country's Chinese communities - instead the city will remain in alert level 3.
The seven-day lockdown comes with social gathering restrictions that mean large gatherings are now longer possible - essentially shutting down many big events that were due to kick off this week including Round the Bays, the remainder of Auckland's Pride Festival, the Auckland Arts Festival, possibly the start of the 36th America's Cup and the start of Crowded House's nationwide tour.
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State Fair of Texas officials proceeding with plans for fall event
The Hill
State Fair of Texas officials on Tuesday said they are planning to resume the annual event this fall after it was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The fair's senior vice president of public relations, Karissa Condoianis, said in a statement shared with multiple local outlets that preparations for the fair are underway, despite continued infections across the state and the country.
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Ohio governor gives OK to fairs and festivals in 2021
Carnival Warehouse
In an announcement to come next week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will allow fairs and festivals to operate in the state with restrictions this Spring. The move will allow events up to 30% of capacity for outdoor venues.
"There are so many people who were waiting for this day, I know you've received the calls and the texts, and I have too from people who were looking to plan for the future, and now, I think, it's reassuring to everybody that the planning can begin, that we can begin down that road back to normal," Lt. Gov. Jane Husted said.
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EPCOT sees mild crowds for start of festival
ITM
If you are a Disney foodie, then you probably are a big fan of all the EPCOT festivals. With so much entertainment, food offerings, and drink options, you will walk away from every festival feeling a little heavier in the belly (and lighter in your wallet!). Today, the Taste of EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival has officially begun!
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Disney World updates face mask policy for dining locations
Spectrum News 13
Disney World has made another update to its face mask policy, further clarifying when visitors can remove face masks at dining locations. The updated policy now specifies that visitors at dining locations must wear their face masks while "standing, waiting or sitting."
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Thunderbirds, Blue Angels debut 12-plane, 18-engine 'Super Delta' joint formation
KSAZ-TV
The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled airshows around the country, but that doesn't mean that the military's precision flying teams have been grounded. Now they're debuting a dramatic new aerial display.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels each flew 'salute' flyovers over big cities last year to thank medical first responders amidst the growing pandemic.
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New Zealand' Wairarapa airshow attracts thousands of visitors despite pandemic
Xinhua
An airplane performs during the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow at the Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, New Zealand, Feb. 27, 2021. Over 15,000 people gathered and crowded on the side of the airstrip of Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, New Zealand on Saturday, to watch the biennial Wings Over Wairarapa airshow. Wings Over Wairarapa 2021 began on Friday and will run for three days. It featured over 70 aircraft including vintage, military, New Zealand Defence Force, jets, helicopters, aerobatic displays, and skydiving.
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NCAA reveals COVID-19 contingency plans for March Madness
The Associated Press via Fox Sports
Turns out the top four teams left out of March Madness won't have their bubbles burst quite yet.
Under a contingency plan released Thursday by the Division I basketball committees, those four at-large teams that don’t make the original field in the men's and women's NCAA tournaments will be placed in order and serve as the replacement teams should any conference with multiple bids have a school that is unable to participate due to COVID-19 issues.
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Tokyo Olympics weigh ban on overseas spectators over COVID fears
NIKKEI Asia
The organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics is considering barring international spectators from attending the games to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Nikkei has learned.
With less than five months before the games are to start, the rise of new coronavirus variants around the world has become a concern for organizers who are trying to hold a "safe and secure" Olympics.
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I wanna shot: How life on the road with Twisted Sister prepared the man running Baltimore County, Maryland's COVID vaccine sites
The Baltimore Sun
Rock concerts and COVID vaccine clinics aren't all that different, if you ask Terry Sapp.
The man running the show at Baltimore County, Maryland's, vaccine sites has spent decades training and coordinating emergency preparedness at the state and local levels. But he credits much of his skill to his years on tour with Twisted Sister across 20 countries from 2004 to 2016, working his way from blogger to production assistant, and as a stage manager for local 1980s cover band The Reagan Years.
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Help us 'Bring Back Events'
IFEA messaging available to use and share with your network
IFEA
The fastest way through the current global pandemic, with a return to normalcy for all global events, is to take a leadership role in encouraging all of those whom we influence – locally, nationally and globally – to take the steps and do the right thing, starting with each individual, that will bring this COVID-19 virus under control.
In support of that leadership initiative, the IFEA has created a series of "Bring Back Events" messages that we invite you to use and share on your own web sites and social media platforms. Just download our predesigned and ready-to-use messages. We also have a series of event-oriented masks that can be ordered here.
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Biden: US will have vaccine for all adults by end of May
The Hill
President Biden on Tuesday said that the United States will have enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all American adults for the coronavirus by the end of May, crediting a "stepped-up process" under his administration.
Biden made the announcement while outlining a partnership between Merck and Johnson & Johnson to produce the latter's single-dose coronavirus vaccine.
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CDC's draft guidelines for vaccinated Americans call for small steps toward normal life
POLITICO
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is set to release guidance this week on safe activities for people who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine amid growing questions about when, and how, shots will enable a return to normal life.
The recommendations will mark the first time the federal government has signaled to Americans that they can start taking steps back to the old rhythms of work, school and play, according to two senior administration officials involved in the drafting of the guidelines.
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Texas to lift statewide mask mandate, despite warnings from public health officials
CBS News
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he will soon lift the state's mask mandate, even as federal officials have urged states not to abandon COVID-19 precautions and have noted a slowing drop in cases nationwide.
"Make no mistake, COVID-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalizations, and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed," Abbott, a Republican, said in a statement.
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CDC Data Tracker: COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States
CDC
Overall US COVID-19 Vaccine | Deliveries and Administration; Maps, charts, and data provided by the CDC, updated daily by 8 pm ET
Represents all vaccine partners including jurisdictional partner clinics, retail pharmacies, long-term care facilities, Federal Emergency Management Agency and Health Resources and Services Administration partner sites, and federal entity facilities.
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How many people need to get vaccinated for COVID-19 herd immunity?
ZME Science
In the seemingly endless March of 2020, it almost looked like the pandemic would never end. A one-year waiting period for a vaccine was considered very optimistic, and there were no guarantees. But the vaccines came faster than expected and we're on target for an unprecedented immunization campaign.
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Plan for smaller gatherings, events this summer, Ottawa, Canada's top doctor says
CTV News
Ottawa's medical officer of health suggests we shouldn't expect a return to large-scale events and festivals this summer as the COVID-19 vaccines roll out.
Appearing on CTV Morning Live Friday morning, Dr. Vera Etches was asked if she thinks we will have Canada Day celebrations and large festivals this summer, or will they be forced to cancel plans like last year.
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Not messin' — New Zealand's Auckland goes into lockdown after single COVID case
Skift
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Saturday that the country’s biggest city, Auckland, will go into a seven-day lockdown from early morning on Sunday after a new local case of the coronavirus of unknown origin emerged.
This comes two weeks after Auckland's nearly 2 million residents were plunged into a snap three-day lockdown when a family of three were diagnosed with the more transmissible UK variant of the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
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WHO: 'Premature,' 'unrealistic' COVID-19 will end soon
The Associated Press via ABC News
A senior World Health Organization official said Monday it was "premature" and "unrealistic" to think the pandemic might be stopped by the end of the year, but that the recent arrival of effective vaccines could at least help dramatically reduce hospitalizations and death.
The world's singular focus right now should be to keep transmission of COVID-19 as low as possible, said Dr. Michael Ryan, director of WHO's emergencies program.
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Interview: Brent Daughrity, partner, Anderson Benson Insurance
NACPA
Brent Daughrity is a partner at Anderson Benson Insurance and Risk Management, leading its Entertainment Practice Group.
In this role, Daughrity works with clients across multiple genres, ranging from baby acts to superstars, providing strategic counsel and tailored coverage solutions to protect artists and their interests.
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US Travel reacts to new COVID-19 relief bill
TravelPulse
Saying it is pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives voted early this morning to approve the third stimulus package in the last year, the U.S. Travel Association said that more needs to be done for an industry that has lost $1 trillion due to the pandemic.
"Given the severity of the impact on the travel and tourism industry, more work remains to provide critical recovery and stimulus measures to safely restore our industry," U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said in a statement.
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Senate prepares to take up $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill
CBS News
The Senate is expected to take up President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill this week as Democrats hammer out the final sticking points in the legislation, including who will be eligible for a new round of stimulus checks.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has pushed back against Republican arguments that the bill is too expensive, saying the package is necessary to get the economy back on track.
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American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 offers billions more in small-business grants
Washington Business via Mass Live
Millions of small businesses could be eligible for new or beefed-up grant programs if some of the provisions in the House-passed Covid-19 relief bill become law.
The grants, part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 passed by the House on Saturday, would still need to be considered in the Senate version of the legislation and passed by Congress before heading to President Joe Biden for his signature.
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Ottawa, Canada festivals, arts organizations get $1 million in extra funding from province
Ottawa Citizen
More than a dozen Ottawa festivals and arts organizations were delighted to find out Tuesday that they will be getting a total of $1 million in extra provincial funding to help get through the pandemic.
While the money had been allocated in last fall's budget, the exact amounts came as a happy surprise for some, including the Ottawa Jazz Festival and the arts organization, Multicultural Arts for Schools and Communities (MASC).
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