The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has been axed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The loss of the festival is a major blow to tourism in Cork and the South West.
Chair of the organising committee Fiona Collins said: “As a result of COVID-19 and current Government restrictions on indoor and outdoor activities, with the requirement for physical distancing, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Committee regrets to confirm the cancellation of this year’s Festival.
“We know that this announcement will be disappointing for music fans, artists, publicans and the wider Cork community but their health and safety is our number one priority.
“We look forward to bringing back a strong, exciting and memorable Festival in 2021.”
A spokesperson for Diageo, the company which has had a long association with the festival and helped make it one of the longest-running and premier music events in Europe, said they will continue to back the event in the future.
“Guinness is very proud of its 42-year heritage of jazz in Cork and is fully committed to continuing to support the Festival Committee, its local Cork trade customers, and the local and international artists involved in the creation of an exciting 2021 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.”
This is a big blow for the tourism and hospitality sector in Cork in what has already been a miserable year due to the pandemic and resulting lockdown.
The Jazz festival on the October Bank Holiday Weekend has been worth an estimated €35million to the local economy in recent years.
