OTTAWA -- An outdoor concert at Lansdowne Park has been postponed as Ottawa moves into the Red-Control zone in Ontario's COVID-19 reopening framework.
Organizers announced plans on Tuesday for the "Long Road Back" concert at Lansdowne Park, featuring rapid COVID-19 screening for all patrons. Organizers said the March 27 concert could pave the way to safely reopening the live music industry.
However, with Ontario moving Ottawa into the red zone on Friday, organizers say the concert with 100 people will not go ahead.
"In view of this news, The Long Road Back concert event will be postponed until such time as it is deemed safe to proceed," said a statement from the Ontario Festival Industry Taskforce.
"All ticket purchasers will receive a refund automatically."
Under the red zone, public outdoor events are capped at 25 people.
"The initial announcement of The Long Road Back event has sparked a conversation about how festivals and events can proceed in 2021," said the taskforce.
"The positive response and immediate sell-out of the concert has shown that people in Ottawa are starved for LIVE music to return to the capital. Organizers are hopeful that festivals and events can proceed this summer or fall and everyone stays safe in the meantime."
The concert was scheduled to take place at the Casino Lac-Leamy Plaza, the outdoor area near the Aberdeen Pavilion. It would have been limited to a maximum of 100 people, all of whom would have been required to undergo rapid COVID-19 antigen screening.
