40,000 sad faces: Biggest one-day music festival in Boise — and Idaho — gets canceled 

The plug just got pulled on the biggest one-day music festival in Idaho.

The annual Boise Music Festival, which was scheduled for June 27 at Expo Idaho, has been canceled because of “uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus.”

About 40,000 people attended the summer show in 2019, according to Towne Square Media, which produces the event.

In a media release, the radio-station company called it a “difficult decision.”

“Event management determined this is the right decision and the most responsible action for the health and safety of the community and hundreds of team members who work together, during this time, to build the Boise Music Festival. The BMF team will shift its efforts to identify a future date to present the 11th annual festival.”

Rick Carmean, president of Towne Square Media in Boise, said it was the right choice.

“While we hope the conditions in the Treasure Valley are improved by June, we are unable to, in good faith, ask our neighborhood businesses, fans, staff and local artists to proceed with planning,” he said.

Performers last year included Pitbull, Tone Loc, Color Me Badd, Logan Mize and more.

The Boise Music Festival is not the first annual music event in Idaho’s capital city to change plans because of COVID-19. The multiday Treefort Music Fest, which normally takes place in late March, was postponed until Sept. 23-27.

There are no plans to reschedule the Boise Music Festival this year, Carmean said. A future date for the 11th annual event already has been set: June 26, 2021.

Boise Music Festival management is contacting people who have purchased tickets about refunds, as well as sponsors and contracted parties. For more information, contact boise.promotions@townsquaremedia.com.

This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 10:26 AM.