Rock The Garden At Walker Art Center Will Not Happen In 2021

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Rock the Garden organizers say the Minneapolis summer music festival will not be happening in 2021.

On Tuesday, the Walker Art Center and The Current announced the cancellation of the outdoor concert for the summer of 2021, which was also canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Organizers called the decision "very difficult" and cited the uncertainties of planning a large-scale outside event during the time of COVID-19.

"Although it may seem premature, the bulk of the planning, including booking bands on tour and securing permits, needs to be completed by the New Year. It is not feasible to do this work given the current situation with COVID-19. We are disappointed to not be able to share the event with our community next summer," Mary Ceruti, executive director of the Walker, said.

David Safar, managing director for The Current, says a huge component of planning the event is the "safe and enjoyable gathering" of the community.

"With so many unknowns related to COVID-19 in the coming months, we couldn't guarantee a safe experience for our community members at this point. That was our deciding factor," Safar said. "The only way we get through this challenging time is together, and we are confident that we will Rock the Garden together again."

The event has been held since 2008. The Walker and The Current "sincerely hope" to bring back the event in summer 2022.

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