Speaking of the cha-cha, what a dance this season of Covid-19 has and continues to be (of course, the title was written while humming Bowie’s Changes… how fitting: “Turn and face the strange… cha-cha-changes”). #NewNormal is made new every morning. While we cautiously move forward with our plans for SoulFest this summer, we’re grateful for a date that to our knowledge so far, falls outside of the stay-at-home restrictions and projected peak date for the virus. We continue to talk with Gunstock Mountain Resort, church leaders, booking agents, and follow all federal & coalition state updates with each step forward. Like many other small businesses and individuals we’re pursuing all avenues via the CARES Act to help keep our doors open, in hopes, that come August we’ll all be able to sing along together in the sunshine!
As we analyze our operations and the economics of the festival in light of the economic downturn, we’ve come to the conclusion that it is more sustainable to forgo the Inside Out Stage (alt/b-stage) this year. We have postponed a couple of artists for 2021, but were able to keep 98% of 2020 artists by reworking our Revival Stage (main stage) start time and transitioning ISO artists to other stages. We were so excited to bring back the ISO stage this year, but who could have expected this at the time?!? Thank you for your understanding and support as we make moves towards our favorite annual gathering. It’s pretty exciting to be able to pivot this way and still have such a dynamic lineup for August. So we stay positive and press forward with anticipation for what Dan Russell refers to as “The Great Awakening” - a time of celebration and the realization that the chaff was cleared from the threshing floor of our lives during this time of disruption, showing us how to be more connected, kind and supportive, to go without and begin to identify with each other globally. We can’t wait for this fabulous time together!
We will continue to keep you up-to-date with where things stand. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy our SoulFest Home Sessions as a way to stay connected from a distance, whether imposed or just because we’re a big family from all over New England and beyond. We continue to look for ways within our current means to encourage you and feed your soul through inspirational music. Please click the button below to view the new schedule and tune in to our socials for some great home concerts coming your way soon!
P.S. The specifics that may not exactly stand out in the new schedule are: 1) Mark Lee has agreed to postpone to 2021 - so we will have him with us, just not this summer. 2) We’re waiting on confirmation for War of Ages to join us in 2021. 3) Casting Crowns will join us for the Heart of the Artist Interview Series.