The rise of the Omicron variant and COVID case numbers in Tasmania has led to a sharp increase in event cancellations in the Huon Valley, with the Cygnet Folk Festival the latest to fall victim to the pandemic.

The annual festival, due to celebrate 40 years in 2022, announced on Tuesday, December 21 that the Cygnet Folk Festival committee decided with heavy hearts to cancel the event due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant and concerns over the community’s safety.

President of the Cygnet Folk Festival committee Anne Foale stated “that the potential risk to the community is such that we cannot see a way of sufficiently mitigating this risk for January 2022.

“We make this decision in consideration of the health and well-being of all our artists, crew, volunteers, stallholders, billet hosts and of course, our valued patrons.”

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