Pitchfork Music Festival Cancels 15th Anniversary Edition

Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival, which was set to celebrate its 15th anniversary this summer, will no longer go on as planned.

The festival was slated to kick-off on July 17  and run through the 19th at Chicago’s Union Park, featuring headlining sets from the National, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Run the Jewels. Other acts like Angel Oslen, Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers, Big Thief, Thundercat, and Waxahatchee were set to take the stage. However, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and safety protocols in place across the city, organizers had to call-off this year’s event.

“It can be pretty daunting to think about the future of live music right now, but know that we are fully committed to bringing Pitchfork Music Festival back in 2021, if the public health situation allows for it,” organizers said in a statement Wednesday morning. “In the meantime, we urge everyone to follow local health department guidelines. We are in this together, and, if we all do our part, we’ll celebrate next year in person.”

Pitchfork Fest is the latest festival to announce a cancellation amid the pandemic, following suite of the Newport Folk Festival and Jazz Festival, Firefly, and Essence. Last month, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfood said the city will provide an update “shortly” on the status of Lollapalooza, which is currently still slated to go on as planned. Organizers opted to hold-off on announcing this year’s lineup and said they would have a decision by the end of May.

See our full, updating list of festivals postponed or cancelled due to coronavirus here.