Ah Well, globalFEST Tactically Retreats Back Online

Blog December 23, 2021

It’s a bummer but not terribly surprising that globalFEST announced today that, due to this latest wave of COVID-19, they’re canceling the Jan. 16 live show at Webster Hall. The announcement went out today: <a name="docs-internal-guid-1456feb3-7fff-c20a-ffe8-1f0a70aa070f"></a> Live shows are a big part of the mission of globalFEST--the magic and community are undeniable! But what is most essential to our work is the joy of discovering music and culture from around the globe--to bring the world to the eyes and ears of curious listeners. We are heartbroken to announce the cancelation of globalFEST’s flagship event, which was to take place on Jan. 16, 2022 at Webster Hall. Out of an abundance of caution for the current upward trends in COVID cases with the highly transmissible Omicron variant, and the nature of live concerts, we have made this decision for the health and safety of our artists, audiences and staff. Ticket holders will be automatically refunded by Webster Hall to the original payment method used for ticket purchase. Thank you for your patience and understanding. We are thrilled that we can continue to serve our mission through our incredible partnership with NPR Music. The second annual Tiny Desk meets globalFEST concert series will premiere Jan. 18-20 on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/nprmusic">NPR Music’s YouTube channel</a> with our returning host Angélique Kidjo. Tiny Desk meets globalFEST is now the main event, showcasing many artists from this year’s live event plus a few bonus artists! The full series lineup is: <ul> <li> Ak Dan Gwang Chil (ADG7) (South Korea) </li><li> Al Bilali Soudan (Mali) </li><li> Bedouin Burger (France | Lebanon | Syria) </li><li> Kiran Ahluwalia (India | Canada | USA) </li><li> Kombilesa Mí (Colombia) </li><li> Northern Cree (Canada) </li><li> Son Rompe Pera (Mexico) </li><li> Suistamon Sähkö (Finland) </li><li> Tufan Derince Group (Turkey | The Netherlands) </li></ul> We hope you’ll join us to watch these extraordinary artists perform from their homes, studios and other locations all over the world. Tell your friends and tune in together! We will have special opportunities exclusive to globalFEST members during these online events. Click <a href="https://www.globalfest.org/support/become-a-member">here</a> for info on how you can become a member and support the festival’s vital work. We are so deeply grateful to all the artists and their teams, the production team and Webster Hall. globalFEST is fully committed to returning this beloved festival to the live stage when it’s safe and prudent to do so. In the meantime, we urge everyone to follow your local health department guidelines, including vaccinations, wearing your mask, social distancing and recognizing that we are all truly in this together! Thank you and stay safe! The globalFEST team The end may still come but it’s not here yet. Stay safe.