Viña del Mar Festival Postpones Tuesday Show Due to ‘State of Emergency’ Over Blackout in Chile
The Viña del Mar Festival has been forced to cancel activities on Tuesday (Feb. 25) due to a massive blackout in Chile that left most of the country in darkness, including the coastal city where the famous event has been taking place since Sunday.
“We deeply regret having to inform you that, due to the state of emergency decreed by the Government of Chile, tonight’s shows must be rescheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2025,” the festival said in a statement published on its social media.
“We know how much you have been waiting for this moment and how important it is for you, that is why we want to assure you that the confirmed artists and comedian will be present on the new date, maintaining the same schedule,” it added about Colombian band Morat, Colombian pop star Sebastián Yatra and Chilean comedian Pedro Ruminot.
The Chilean government declared a state of emergency and a curfew after the blackout left millions of people without power for hours across 14 of the country’s 16 regions, according to The Associated Press. The news agency indicated that the government did not disclose the reasons for the blackout or the timeline for power restoration.
The Viña del Mar Festival posted a statement earlier informing that it was evaluating its options and that, for the time being, the doors of the Quinta Vergara, the venue where the event is held, would remain closed until further notice.
“The production of the Viña del Mar Festival informs that due to the general power outage reported by the authorities and media, which currently also affects the City of Viña del Mar where the Quinta Vergara is located, we are evaluating the situation together with the competent authorities to make a decision regarding the development of the event tonight,” it read. “Our teams are in constant contact with regional and national authorities, public order, and security, to make a decision that always benefits the safety of all people.”
People who had tickets for Tuesday and cannot attend the recheduled show this Saturday can request a refund of their money at www.puntoticket.com starting March 3, 2025, the organizers said.
In its 64th edition, the Viña del Mar Festival began on Sunday with performances by Marc Anthony and Bacilos, and continued on Monday with Myriam Hernández and Ha*Ash. Still to come are the presentations of Carín León and Carlos Vives scheduled for Wednesday (Feb. 26); Incubus and The Cult on Thursday (Feb. 27); and Duki, Eladio Carrión and Kid Voodoo on Friday (Feb. 28).
Read the two statements issued on Tuesday by the Viña Festival below.
Sigal Ratner-Arias
Billboard
