Bluesfest is returning to Ottawa this summer, but without some of the behind-the-scenes technicians who found other jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People listen to a band at Bluesfest in 2019. The music festival is returning to LeBreton Flats this summer, but without some of the behind-the-scenes technicians who found other jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.where Ottawa's largest music festival is set to return this summer, Benoît Brunet-Poirier knows it won't be the same as in years past.
Many live events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Brunet-Poirier and others like him out of a job. He's now found work in the construction industry, and says it's the same story for other skilled workers who've taken jobs with higher wages, in fields like IT or film and television production."[The past two years were] a very, very severe emotional roller coaster for a lot of people," said Brunet-Poirier.
The difficulties go beyond just the labour shortage, however, according to Bluesfest executive director Mark Monahan. "We may not be able to have three merch tents. Maybe there's one and it's bigger," he said. "[But] we can't cut the music. That's the essence of the festival."
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