Cambridge's summer nights live might just have to become fall nights live with the region still in Stage 1 for another couple weeks.
The announcement last week forced the city to reconsider its plans for outdoor special events planned for July and August, said Wanda Schaefer, supervisor of recreation, art, culture and special events.
"We were so confident we knew how to pivot and change and we were ready to react and change and then stages one, two, three came out," she said, adding the region has to be in Stage 3 for the special events to take place.
Keeping a bright note, Schaefer said, the city is committed to keeping the same playbill but postpone plans to begin in August and go into September.
"We hope to still give Cambridge live music," she added. "We're committed to the same artists. It's quite an eclectic bunch. We have some folk music and we have children's entertainer, Sonshine and Broccoli."
Schaefer said the events would have kicked off with the Cambridge Celebration of the Arts live performance by the Sultans of String at Hespeler's Forbes Park, however, now the event will be held virtually on July 9.
The Summer Nights Live events comprise of three weekly events held on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, she explained.
However, where one performance a week is guaranteed, Schaefer noted, others, such as Thursday nights for youth performances may have to be moved to September.
"But it could be up to three events a week depending on what the city is allowed to do at that time," she said.
Previously, concerts were planned for Forbes Park in July and Galt's Churchill Park in August, now, Schaefer said, all performances will be held at the latter location.
As well, she said, kids theatre performances have been cancelled and may be revisited for September.
"It's all beyond our control and all in the safety of performers and residents," Schaefer said.
She said knowing some of the Stage 2 regulations has helped prepare the performers and stages for whenever the city is able to move up in its opening process. The staff, Schaefer said, was ready to provide the non-permeable barriers between performers and audience members and to clean the touch points frequently. All this, she said, will also be needed in Stage 3, which the region will hopefully enter soon.
"People are craving some live music and the musicians also want to perform," Schaefer said.
The Cambridge Rotary Rib Fest is still happening as a one-day drive-thru event Aug. 7 at the Hespeler Memorial Arena.
