Even With Most Summer Festivals Canceled In Chicago, Some Concerts In August Still Up In The Air
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Concerts are being cancelled left and right in Chicago, and given the governor's reopening plan, a big concert might seem impossible this summer.
Nonetheless, tickets are still being sold for some large shows in August, and the city of Chicago is not ready to rule it out.
CBS 2 Morning Insider Tim McNicholas asked fans whether they think the show will go on.
Lady Gaga last rocked Wrigley Field in 2017, and she set her big return for Aug. 14, 2020. A link on her website takes you to the MLB website, where you can still buy tickets for $200.
"We're getting tickets soon. We have everything else," said Ricky Magnuson, a teenager from Minnesota who said he already has a flight and hotel room booked. "I feel like it would have been cancelled by now; since everything else is cancelled, that it would have been cancelled already with everything else."
But fans won't know for sure until concert planners and public health officials take off their poker face.
According to the governor's five-phase reopening plan, large events like concerts can't happen in Illinois until Phase 5, which can't happen until we have a vaccine, a widely available and effective treatment, or no new COVID-19 cases over a sustained period.
Chicago Department of Public Health Director Dr. Allison Arwady said we are a long way from no new cases, but she's not ready to rule out August concerts.
"It's too early to sort of say for sure about anything that hasn't been announced, but broadly speaking I think we're going to be taking a cautious approach generally this summer here in Chicago," she said.
There's also a Dan + Shay concert still set for Aug. 15 at the United Center and a Lindsey Stirling show at Northerly Island on Aug. 10.
Lady Gaga is the only summer concert date still scheduled at Wrigley Field, with several others postponed or cancelled.
Emily Qualman, from New York, said she already paid for her ticket for Lady Gaga, and booked a flight to Chicago in March.
"I don't think the concert is gonna happen, and frankly I wouldn't be mad if she postponed it," she said.
She's not expecting to dance at Wrigley this summer, but at least her airline said they'd refund her money.
CBS 2 reached out to the Cubs, and they said any cancellations are up to the artist, not the venue. They said you should hold on to your tickets if you already bought them.
Lady Gaga's team did not respond to requests for comment.