The Aiken Bluegrass Festival will take a “brief pause” in 2020, choosing to suspend its festivities at South Carolina’s Western Carolina State Fairgrounds.

According to an official statement by organizers, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce there will not be an Aiken Bluegrass Festival held in 2020. We have given 15 years of our heart and soul, sweat and tears to this festival and it will not be going away!”

2019’s Aiken Bluegrass Festival featured Del McCoury Band, Keller and the Keels, Billy Strings and more, over two days of music.

The event originated as a fundraiser for a local therapeutic horseback riding program, Star Riding.

Read the festival’s full statement below:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce there will not be an Aiken Bluegrass Festival held in 2020.

We have given 15 years of our heart and soul, sweat and tears to this festival and it will not be going away! We are simply taking a brief pause so that we may return with a better experience for all of our patrons and artists.

Please know we will miss all of you and our special time at the Fairgrounds, but the LOVE we shared there will last until we dance together once again. In the meantime, please continue to see local live music and support our artists when they come to your town.

LOVE ABF

See you soon,

Christian, Molly and the entire ABF Family