2021 Dawson City Music Festival postponed amid COVID-19 outbreak

Next month's Dawson City Music Festival has been postponed.

The Dawson City Music Festival Associationin Dawson City, Yukon, made the announcement on Thursday.

A "bite-sized" version of the 43rd annual event was originally scheduled for July 16-18.

"With Covid-19 currently affecting communities across Yukon, a request for postponement was made directly to the DCMF Board of Directors by the Tr'ondk Hwch'in Chief and Council earlier this week, who have cancelled or postponed their events and gatherings until at least July 31st, which we respect and uphold," the association wrote onits website.

"We look forward to bringing music to the Klondike Valley in the months to come when the time is right, and we appreciate the community's understanding."

Yukon's COVID-19 case count rose significantly this month. As ofThursday,the active case count in the territory was at 107, with positive cases in 11 out of 14 Yukon communities.

Over its history, the Dawson City Music Festival has become one of Yukon's best-known events, both among local music lovers and musicians across the country.

The festival was cancelled last year, also due to the pandemic, for the first time in four decades.