Aurora Festival In Patchogue Canceled Over Rise In COVID-19 Cases

PATCHOGUE, NY — Productions are usually called "a wrap" after they are over, but not in this case.

The Aurora Music Festival that was planned for Patchogue in the fall was announced barely two weeks then concert organizers had to pull back their plans back due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

Concert promoter James Faith said that the decision was reached with village officials such as Mayor Paul Pontieri after they discussed the safety aspects of having 5,000 people at a concert as cases are continuing to rise.

“It was supposed to be a celebration of coming out of this thing, but we just felt that with the numbers continuing to go up we would not have 5,000 people at a concert,” he said. “We did not want to be a part of getting people sick.”

The Great South Bay Music Festival normally takes place in July, but was canceled earlier this year, however, the Aurora festival was planned about three months ago, Faith said.

“We were just about to announce the acts tomorrow,” he said.

Faith said that there was some money lost over the cancelation, but it was not as serious as it could have been farther along in the process.

In the meantime, Faith is moving ahead with plans for the Great South Bay Music Festival next summer. The event is set to run July 7-10. The lineup includes Circa Survive, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, MOE., The Weight Band, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, and Aqueous. The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lobos, and Gabe Dixon are also on the billing.