Millions of fans worldwide have been met with the disappointing news that their favorite festivals have been canceled, and now another adds itself to the list. It was announced on Friday (May 15) that the Dreamville Festival 2020 has been nixed. It would have been the second-annual event for the label and artists were all set to take to the stages in Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Unfortunately, like many others, the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine have put festival producers in precarious positions as to how they should move forward. Dreamville decided that they would rather be safe than sorry, so for now, the festival has been canceled.

Dreamville bosses penned an open letter about the sad news. Read it in full below.

After much deliberation and careful monitoring of the current situation, we have decided to cancel Dreamville Festival 2020. Although we originally hoped it would be possible to bring you the festival this August, the ongoing uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has made this timeline no longer possible. This decision has been extremely difficult to make, but the safety of our fans, artists, and staff is always our top priority, and nothing will ever take precedence over your well-being.

All 2020 event ticket holders, including those that previously requested a refund, will be automatically refunded on, or before May 22nd, and it will take 7-10 days for the funds to be returned to your original method of payment if you purchased your tickets through Front Gate Tickets. We understand that this is a difficult time for many and sincerely apologize to those who were waiting on their refund as we worked through unforeseen delays in processing due to the pandemic.

Ticketholders who purchased passes through an official street team member, retail outlet, or military sale have to fill out a form to receive a refund. You can stay updated with more information on Dreamville Festival’s website.

J. Cole‘s Dreamville Festival is the latest event to be pushed back as a result of the rapidly spreading coronavirus epidemic, as the initial April 4th date has now been delayed by several months. As the world adjusts to the threatening presence of the deadly virus, countless events have been cancelled, and health officials have urged folks to avoid areas with large crowd gatherings. In light of these circumstances, the second annual Dreamville Festival has now been rescheduled to take place on August 29th, 2020. The Dreamville team issued an official statement social media to announce the new date, stating that the event will still be taking place at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Dear Dreamville Family,” the message reads. “We recognize there’s been a lot of questions about the status of Dreamville Festival and in light of recent developments, we are excited to let you know we are moving forward with a new date. While the State of North Carolina and local health officials continue to work to protect the well being of all in the State, we have worked collaboratively to identify the best possible outcome. We are excited to announce that Dreamville Festival will now take place on August 29, 2020 and will remain at Dorothea Dix Park. All tickets for the April event will be honored for the rescheduled date. For any current ticket-buyers unable to attend the rescheduled event, refunds will be offered.”

 Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

“While this decision has been extremely difficult to make,” the statement continues, “the safety of our fans, artists, and staff is always our top priority, and nothing will ever take precedence over your well-being. We now encourage everyone to follow the guidelines and various preventive measures put forth by local and national health authorities. Our team is extremely committed to bringing the event to fruition for all our Dreamville family, and we can’t wait to see everyone in August. We are also very appreciative to the City of Raleigh for helping us find a new date so quickly.”

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The statement also addresses the impending lineup announcement. “Originally, we were scheduled to announce the festival lineup this week and are now working around the clock to reconfirm all performers scheduled for the April date. We hope to announce the full music lineup as early as next week.” J. Cole launched the Dreamville Festival last year, in an effort to give back to his community. The first inauguration featured performances by Dreamville artists including Bas, EARTHGANG, Ari Lennox, JID, Cozz, Omen, and Lute, as well as other big names like Big Sean, 21 Savage, SZA, 6LACK, and more.