The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organisers of Kiama's annual music festival, Folk By The Sea, to cancel this year's three-day event.
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The festival was scheduled to take place on September 25-27.
However, festival coordinator Rod Cork said that the Illawarra Folk Club, which runs the festival, was hopeful that it could host a one-day music event on Saturday, September 26, should there be a sufficient easing of social distancing and other COVID-19-related restrictions by then.
Mr Cork said Folk By The Sea attracts performers from overseas and throughout Australia.
"There is also no certainty that musicians and even patrons would be allowed to travel to Kiama by then," he said.
"We also have no idea what the regulations and restrictions on public gatherings will be by September.
"Even if the situation is improving by then, there is a chance that if COVID-19 was to flare up again later in the year, that a 'lockdown' would be reinstated.
"We had reached the point where we either started contracting for performers, services and promotion for the festival, or cancelled this year's event.
"Having decided that the risks were too great, we reluctantly decided to cancel."
Artistic director David De Santi said the Illawarra Folk Club had received 205 artist applications for Folk By The Sea from throughout Australia.
However, the Folk Club was hopeful of running the limited one-day event in the Kiama Showground Pavilion on September 26 using local artists and performers from Sydney and other nearby regions.
"Obviously the constraints on this will be what may be 'legal' at the time, making performers and the audience are safe and the potential financial risk to the Illawarra Folk Club," Mr De Santi said.
"We are certainly willing to do something to support the folk music community, and a clearer picture may develop over the coming months as to what form and size the alternative event may be."