The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

It is with great sadness that Sisters Folk Festival has made the decision to cancel its sold out, socially-distanced Close To Home 2 concerts scheduled for September 11, 12 and 13, due to hazardous air quality from wildfire smoke in Central Oregon this weekend.

The health, safety, and well being of the nonprofit organization’s patrons, volunteers, and performing musicians were the driving factors in the decision. Full refunds will be issued to all ticket holders, including those who purchased access to the livestream of the event. Sisters Folk Festival asks that ticket holders hold off on contacting the organization about refunds, as they will be automatically processed as quickly as possible.

Organizers are hoping to produce a free livestream featuring music from the artists who would have been performing at the event, with video feeds from remote locations. Details will be forthcoming if and when those plans are finalized in the coming weeks.

“Right now our thoughts are with the tens of thousands of people who have been impacted by the horrific wildfires burning throughout our beautiful state. In the scheme of things, cancelling this concert pales in comparison with the ordeal many of our fellow Oregonians are experiencing at this time,” said Sisters Folk Festival’s executive director Crista Munro.