Shambhala cancels 2020 gathering as coronavirus worsens globally
As total COVID-19 related deaths now surpass 177,000 worldwide, with the US leading the globe in total number of deaths at 45,000, Canada sit in second place as far as North America is concerned. In the wake, festivals will all soon begin dropping like flies, with Electric Forest dropping in June, Burning Man calling off their gathering at the end of August, Dirtybird Campout canceling as far out as October. Another music festival now bites the dust with Shambhala officially canceling their weekend at the end of July.
The 2020 edition of Shambhala was set to take place July 24 – 27, which signaled the first time in 23 years that the boutique festival had switched from its usual August weekend due to wildfire season in British Columbia. With total coronavirus cases now sitting just under 40,000 in Canada, and the death toll almost hitting two thousand, wildfires seem like the least of the country’s concern at the current time.
“At this time, our hearts and thoughts are with anyone who has been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, including the healthcare and essential service workers doing their best to serve their communities during these challenging times,” said organizers in an official statement.
Shambhala organizers expressed deep regret and condolences to their Farmily and said the festival will be postponed to July 2021. The festival will be held at the same location it has called home since 1998: the Salmo River Ranch. Tickets and lodging packages will be valid for a future date across the following three years (2021, 2022 or 2023). Ticketholders will be contacted by the festival’s customer service department regarding refunds and exchanges.
Official statement:
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we must announce the 23rd Annual Shambhala Music Festival, originally scheduled for July 2020, will be postponed to July 2021. The festival will be held at the same location it has called home since 1998: the Salmo River Ranch. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience our postponement may have caused, and we give our full support and recognition to Dr. Bonnie Henry and her colleagues for the difficult decision they had to make.
Shambhala is not only a music festival, but it’s also a yearly reunion with our Farmily and a time to return home to ourselves. It’s a place where we can freely express ourselves without reservations, and to lose that this year is devastating, however your safety is what is most important. It has always been about the people on the dancefloor, and we know once we are all reunited again, it will be a Shambhala to remember.
At this time, our hearts and thoughts are with anyone who has been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, including the healthcare and essential service workers doing their best to serve their communities during these challenging times.
Important Information for Ticket Holders:
All 2020 tickets and lodging packages will be valid for a future date across the following three years (2021, 2022 or 2023). No action is required from our guests at this time. Our Customer Service team will be reaching out to our guests over the coming weeks to transfer your tickets and/or lodging to a future year. We would like to thank you for your patience as we roll out this process. If you are not able to attend in the next few years, our online ticketing system allows you to manage your own order. You can easily view your order online, make changes to your contact information, and transfer tickets and ShambhaLodging packages should you wish to sell them. For more information on the online ticket portal, please visit: https://
To our Shambhala Crew and other key stakeholders: thank you for your patience with us during this challenging time. Knowing that we won’t get to share the summer with you is heartbreaking, and we truly appreciate all your hard work leading up to this.
We understand that you may have some questions. Please see our list of FAQs regarding our festival postponement here: https://
Thank you in advance for your patience during this time of high volume communications. Our festival team has already been working remotely, and preparations have begun immediately for the 2021 festival. We are looking forward to returning home to the farm next year to build the magic that is Shambhala Music Festival once again. Until then, stay safe and look out for your Farmily.
Sincerely,
Shambhala Music Festival HQ
Information seeker. Dog lover. PhD drop out. College professor by day, EDM photographer by night.