It is quieter than usual in Merritt this BC Day long weekend without the Rockin’ River Music Festival taking place.

Founder Kenny Hess says cancelling this year’s event because of COVID-19 was the right thing to do, but he admits he misses the camaraderie that festival goers share each year.

“We have people that have never met each other any other time, and yet they get together, and they have this annual party, and they didn’t know each other until they met at the festival,” he said. “Now some of them for five, six, ten years, have been coming and saying, ‘hey, these are our festival friends.”

Hess says he feels for the artists who weren’t able to get together this year, because of the pandemic.

“You know, I’ve been an artist a long time and know most of them. If I don’t know them, I know their managers and their agencies, and they all want to come to our festival because they feel like this is how festivals are supposed to be run,” he added.

“It’s a fun time for everyone.”

Hess says organizers are turning their attention to the 2021 edition of the Rockin River Fest, with many of this year’s artists already committed to return to Merritt next year.

Grammy-award winner Keith Urban was set to headline the 2020 festival, alongside Jon Pardi, Chris Janson, and Travis Tritt. People who had tickets can request a refund or keep their tickets which will be honoured for next year’s festival.

Keith Urban won’t be part of the 2021 edition, but Hess says he’s optimistic he will be back for the 2022 festival.

(Photo via Rockin’ River Music Fest)