After careful consideration of the myriad impacts of this global pandemic, I have made the decision to reschedule Shadow Woods Metal Fest V for August 27-28, 2021. The location will remain the same—Camp Hidden Valley, in White Hall, MD.
While it is disappointing that we have to postpone, the good news is that our headliners Panopticon have graciously made the commitment to perform on our new dates. To quote Austin Lunn when I told him the news, “We belong at Shadow Woods.”
I did not make this decision lightly. This global health emergency is causing unprecedented impacts on people across the country and the world. Those effects are likely to be felt for many months even after health officials determine that it is safe to attend large gatherings again. We will need time to recover emotionally, mentally, physically and financially once our “social distancing” times have passed. Health experts have even warned of a resurgence following an initial decline in cases.
Only when we are fully “out of the woods,” will I feel confident that we be truly ready to head “back to the woods” for this final installment of Shadow Woods Metal Fest. And when that time comes, I know it will be a party like none of us have ever seen.
When I made this decision to postpone the fest, the lineup for SWMF V was nearly complete. Now, I am working with each band to confirm their involvement in 2021. Many of them have already committed to the new date. But it will take time to coordinate with everyone and finish the lineup. A full lineup announcement will be delayed.
All tickets for the 2020 event will be honored at the 2021 festival, and I encourage you to hold on to your tickets. Processing a large number of refunds will put me in a financial crisis. Right now, all ticket sales funds are tied up in the deposit on the venue, which will carry forward to next year. So, if you can hold on to your tickets, there is no better way to help us through this situation! However, if it is impossible for you to attend the new dates, please submit a request through the contact form at the bottom of the event ticketing page on Eventbrite, and I will process it through the ticketing platform as funds become available to me to do so. Have patience. I hope if that is the case, you will be able to repurchase your tickets in the future.
Until we meet in real life again, I encourage everyone to follow the guidance of the public health experts. Stay home. Wash your hands. Save lives.
All the best,
Mary Spiro and the Shadow Woods Team
