Tbilisi Open Air fest cancelled for pandemic safety

This year's edition of the popular Tbilisi Open Air music festival has been cancelled with organisers citing the ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 outbreak as the factor for the decision to avoid hosting the event.

Postponed at the height of the pandemic earlier this year, the event - promoted as the largest of the kind in the South Caucasus - has now been abandoned entirely after organisers spent the last few months deliberating over their options.

Now it is clear that active and feasible regulations will not permit us to give these people safety guarantees, which are crucial to organize a major music festival. Even in Autumn that won’t be possible."

The vast majority of 2020 festivals in every corner of our planet are cancelled or postponed and unfortunately we can’t be an exception too," a statement from the festival said.

Moving away from the custom of announcing festival dates in the run-up, the hosts revealed they would hold the 2021 edition between June 25-27 next year. Many of the artists on the 2020 lineup will be found on stage again, including Konstantin, Jennifer Cardini and Kite. Organisers also said "new international headliners" would join the 2021 roster as well.

This year marked 11th anniversary of the festival that hosted around 45,000 music enthusiasts over its recent editions, held at a location near Tbilisi's Lisi Lake recreational area on a hilltop above the downtown.

Further details for 2020 festival pass holders can be found in organisers' social media announcement post.