Yesterday (July 15), Burlington, ON’s annual Music in the Garden concert series had to delay its show featuring Sam Roberts Band and Talia Schlanger at the Royal Botanical Gardens because of poor air quality and health risks from wildfire smoke affecting Ontario this week. A new date is set for August 6; tickets are available for purchase now, and all previously bought tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date.
In a press release, Sophie Mc Kinnon, marketing manager at concert and festival promoter Noisemaker, talked about how organizing concerts and festivals has evolved due to the ongoing climate crisis. She mentioned that organizers now have to consider “heat waves, flooding, wildfire smoke, tornadoes, and other weather related challenges in a way that simply wasn’t part of [their] planning to the same extent before.”
Mc Kinnon explained that deciding to cancel events is rarely straightforward, as organizers often have to make decisions while conditions are still changing. “Waiting for certainty usually isn’t an option. By the time the picture is clear, artists are already travelling, crews are on site, vendors are in place, and thousands of people have made plans to attend.”
She also shared insights into how many independent live events struggle with financial flexibility when postponing a show. By the time a decision is reached, most costs have already been incurred. “Crews still need to be paid, equipment and venues have been booked, marketing campaigns have already run, and many of those costs have to be paid again on the new date. Insurance often doesn’t cover situations like this; on top of that, refund requests mean you’re trying to make up lost ticket sales while paying for the same event twice. None of that changes the decision.”
Her statement continued:
We believed postponing the July 15 show with Sam Roberts Band was the right call; our guests’, artists’, crew’s and staff’s health and safety had to come first.
The effects of wildfire smoke and extreme weather clearly go beyond concerts; however, our experience this week highlighted one consequence that’s not widely understood. As these kinds of events become more common, independent promoters are increasingly asked to bear the financial burden of making safer choices.
All tickets for the original show will still be valid for the new date. Refunds can also be requested by 4 p. m. today by contacting info@noisemaker. ca.
Earlier this month, we spoke with festival organizers and environmental advocates about climate change’s impact on Canadian concert culture; you can read more here.
As of publication time, Toronto and nearby cities (including Burlington) sit at a 10 on the air quality health index (indicating very high risk), according to Environment Canada.
Check out the updated schedule for Music in the Garden below.
08/06 Sam Roberts Band
08/13 The Sheepdogs with Chloë Doucet
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08/13 The Sheepdogs with Chloë Doucet
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