Organizers of Country Thunder Saskatchewan made the difficult decision to pull the plug on the evening portion of Day 3 of the popular four-day Country Music Festival due to inclement weather.
“Although later than planned, we thought the system was going to pass and allow us to get on with the show,” said Kim Blevins, Country Thunder Music Festivals General Manager. “But persistent lightning strikes, rain and high winds in a slow-moving cell created an unsafe environment for our fans and artists.
“It’s disappointing, but in the end, it was the only decision that we could make.”
Tim McGraw and his band were standing by in hopes of resuming the show even after the cell had passed by 11:15 p.m.
"Unfortunately, much of the group's gear and some instruments sustained heavy damage during the downpour," Blevins said. "It was the final straw in this decision."
Fans either hit the highway early or hunkered down in their campsites in anticipation of the Sunday schedule which features acts such as Chris Stapleton, Steve Earle & The Dukes, The Road Hammers, Jimmie Allen and the Hunter Brothers.
“Bad weather can’t dampen the spirits of some of the greatest country music fans in the world,” Blevins said. “There were thousands of fans for the show to start back up . . . that’s unbelievable dedication to the music of Country Thunder.
“We just want to let everyone know that Sunday's performances will more than make up for a lost Saturday evening.”
A limited number of single-day passes are still be available for Stapleton's only western Canadian performance of 2019. Fans can purchase tickets at countrythunder.com, all Saskatchewan Urban Cellars, Lammle's and Prairie Mobile locations. Tickets can also be purchased at the gates.
Gates open at 9am and the main concert bowl will open at 2 p.m. in anticipation of a 3 p.m. start.
