N.B.'s plan to reopen is music to the ears of festival organizers

New Brunswick's plans to lift COVID-19 restrictions by Aug. 2, pending vaccination rates, is music to the ears of festival organizers, but it may not be enough time to make sweeping changes for this year.

Harvest Jazz and Blues organizers have the best shot at taking advantage of a possible restriction-free festival in September.

But will people be comfortable heading back to large gatherings again so soon? That's what festival organizers are trying to gauge now.

Brent Staeben, director of music for Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, said they're sending out a patron survey to measure comfort levels about being in a large crowd.

"To get a sense from people as to what their current and potentially September-like future comfort levels will be like," he said.

Few details about this year's festival have been released, but Staeben said organizers were intending to have some live audiences this September prior to the government's announcement.

He said depending on the results of the survey,they might be able to have more than what they've been planning.

More details will be released in mid-June, once organizers hear from patrons.

For organizers of Area 506 in Saint John, the news of the province's plans to potentially lift COVID-19 restrictions in early August is welcome but too late for the festival this year.

"For this summer we had to plan with what we knew," said Ray Gracewood, founder of Area 506.

Usually the festival takes place on the New Brunswick Day long weekend, but this year organizers planned a new format to work with COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place for months.

This year the festival will be a series of waterfront concerts in July and August.

People will sit with their friends in pods of six or 10 people.

Gracewood said he's pleased with the new approach to the festival and is happy with the setup.

"I think we found a great solution that sort of allows us to offer a series of 10 concerts."

Virtual show for baroque fans

Baroque music fans around the Acadian Peninsula will have to wait a little longer for a return to in-person performances for the Lamque International Baroque Music Festival.

Organizers have filmed this year's festival to show online in July.

Vincent Lauzer, the artistic director of the festival, said many of the performers are from outside of the province.

"We have to be flexible, and our main goal is always to offer great music to the people," he said.

Lauzer said the potential reopening of New Brunswick won't change the festival this year, but he would like to try tobring some sort of a live show to Lamque before next summer.