2020 Tortuga Music Festival Rescheduled for October Because of Coronavirus Pandemic
The 2020 Tortuga Music Festival has been rescheduled to October in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Headliners Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan remain at the top of the moved festival's lineup.
Originally scheduled for April 17-19, 2020, at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the 2020 Tortuga Music Festival will now take place on Oct. 2-4, 2020, at the same location. The lineup remains intact, with, in addition to the headliners, everyone from Pitbull and the Barenaked Ladies to Lee Brice and Runaway June and up-and-comers Tenille Arts and Tyler Rich, among others, set to perform.
Passes purchased for the original April dates of Tortuga 2020 will be honored in October, a press release reports. Those looking for more information can visit the Tortuga Music Festival's official website.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday (March 11) officially declared coronavirus a pandemic. According to the WHO, more than 167,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in more than 110 countries and territories; a total of 6,440 deaths have been reported worldwide as of Sunday night (March 15). In Tennessee specifically, there are 39 confirmed cases, including 17 in Davidson County, as of Sunday.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a travel ban that went into effect on Friday (March 13) at midnight. The ban only applies for foreign nationals, NBC News explains, not U.S. citizens, green card holders or the families of U.S. citizens. Additionally, Ireland and the U.K. are exempt from the travel ban, which applies only to people, not foreign goods or trade.
During his Wednesday night address, Trump also urged Americans to be cautious with their health: to wash their hands and stay home if they're feeling ill, and to get tested for coronavirus if they think they may have it.
Within country music, artists are doing their part by either postponing or canceling both concerts and entire tours, while festival organizers are both rescheduling and canceling springtime events. Among others, the annual Stagecoach festival, usually held in April, will now take place in October, while Zac Brown Band have chosen to delay the remainder of their springtime tour dates. On Sunday, the Academy of Country Music announced the postponement of the 2020 ACM Awards.
Coronavirus Pandemic: What Country Music Events Are Postponed or Canceled (or Not)?