The pandemic presented challenges to so very many and the entertainment industry that mostly depends on live, large gatherings of like-minded people for their success paid the price, as did the audiences who were not able to attend those fun-filled events like they once did.
The City of Prince George has its entertainment manager back in place after a brief hiatus when things were shut down for months during the first part of the pandemic.
At this time there is still a question about future shows and events in Prince George.
“There is no certainty yet, it’s still in flux,” Glen Mikkelsen, entertainment manager for the City of Prince George. “In the summertime we thought we were headed to a strong place and then another wave rocked the boat again in the fall and then even as close as a couple of weeks ago we thought we were headed into a stronger position to make things happen in terms of events and here we are again being rocked again.”
It makes it so hard to try to plan anything.
“It’s just this whole journey that we’re on just trying to get through this,” Mikkelsen said.
Live Nation, which is the largest entertainment promoter in the world, has added Prince George to the tour of The Offpring and Simple Plan set for Feb. 27 at the CN Centre and it’s being sold as a full house.
“So they are being optimistic,” Mikkelsen said. “Their intention is to have capacity at 100 per cent.”
Same goes for the 2022 World Women’s Curling Championship.
“We are, of course, hoping for 100 per cent for that event, too, on March 19 when that event opens up,” he added.
Mikkelsen said he understands that people are hesitant to commit to going out to events by buying tickets because of the continuing uncertainty.
He knows audience members will return when things open back up again and that’s going to happen - eventually.
“Obviously we didn’t think we’d still be here but here we are,” Mikkelsen said. “It’s just taking a little longer than expected.”
People knowing everyone has to be vaccinated to attend events offers a bit more health security to those who are cautious about Covid and its variants still making the rounds, he added.
“And that helps for sure,” Mikkelsen said.
In the industry conversations that Mikkelsen is having there are a lot of groups and major artists who will be touring once the pandemic is a thing of the past, he said.
“So there’s a lot to look forward to,” Mikkelsen said.
Stay tuned for some exciting announcements coming this spring about what's happening at Prince George venues.
For more information for what’s going on at CN Centre visit www.cncentre.ca.
