This seems to be the question of the day, or year for that matter. There is no doubt that 2020 has presented significant challenges for the live event industry; namely, trade shows, concerts, festivals, automotive races, sporting events and more. However, the question remains then, what next? Is there an end in sight? It sure is a hard concept to fathom really, with some events moving forward in the past few months as scheduled, other events experiencing challenges during live event hours, and other event and venue organizers making the decision to postpone or reschedule to now 2021 or even 2022. Every so often we may catch a glimpse of a fan in a football stadium, or amply-spaced tables with guests at a country music awards ceremony, which gives us hope and optimism. Yet, then we are quick to notice events that have fans on screens vs. in person, piped in applause to simulate a live audience, and continued cancellations in response to ever-changing policies, regulations and safety concerns. 

So where do we go from here? Roller Coasters used to be fun, and many seemed to enjoy that ultimate high of adrenaline combined with that low, scary, "pit in your stomach" feeling... So is 2020 any different? Instead of the never-ending adrenaline rush though, many have been faced with lows upon lows from absent work, struggling finances, and an end that doesn't seem to be in sight. Studies of resiliency and optimistic thinking are prevalent here, and it's true that mind over matter is one method of thought that can help. It may not fix the immediate here and now, but it will give hope and help us realize that things will get better. 

To answer the question at hand then, are live events dead? HECK NO they aren't! We at Backwoods Promotions have looked at this as a temporary pause. At the end of the day, our clients and our staff understand the importance of in-person contact and live events and they are just as eager as we are to return to them. There are only so many Zoom calls, virtual conferences or emails we can send before we realize that we need to get back to meeting in person. During this time we have staffed a number of in-person events safely and in compliance with State or Provincial health regulations. The goal moving forward is to continue doing so in a safe manner while carefully monitoring ongoing changes and making adjustments as needed. While these events haven’t occurred at the same rate or pace as they did in 2019, the fact that events are still happening, safely, is something that we need to pay attention to. 

Yes, this is a tough time, and yes, we're right there with you. At the end of the day though, nothing can take away our hope, optimism, and spirit for live, in-person events. Hang in there, we’re all in this together! To contact us for more information, click here.