Harvest is making every effort to provide a safe experience at our 2021 festival. We’re following guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada and from the Government of New Brunswick.
Earlier this summer, we surveyed patrons and volunteers to better understand what would make them feel most comfortable at the festival. Nearly 90% of the more than 3,000 respondents indicated that they would be most comfortable attending Harvest 2021 if a vaccination policy was in place.
This guidance, and the feedback we received from our community convinced us that our safest, most responsible way forward for Harvest 2021 is to require all patrons, volunteers, staff, and artists to be fully vaccinated to attend performances at The Blues Tent and The Playhouse. As the summer has progressed, other North American festivals and venues are making the same decision, and many artists are requesting or requiring proof of vaccination for their performances.
Harvest will require proof of vaccination at the point of admission for The Blues Tent and The Playhouse at the 2021 Festival.
Understandably, we’ve received many questions about this, including these four good ones:
Q: What do I need to bring for proof, and how will you check?
Acceptable proof includes the record provided to you upon vaccination or your immunization record from MyHeatlhNB (https://myhealth.gnb.ca/).
Patrons may provide proof in the form of the actual document, a scan or photocopy of the document, a photo of the document on a mobile phone, or an electronic record.
Staff at admissions will visually inspect the record provided by the patron, and will request the patron’s government issued photo ID.
Harvest will not collect or store any patron medical information.
Q: What if I am unable to be vaccinated because of a medical exemption?
Patrons who have received a medical exemption from vaccination, or are otherwise unable to be vaccinated as a result of a ground protected by the New Brunswick Human Rights Act, are asked to contact the office at info@harvestjazzandblues.com for guidance.
Q: Since children under 12 are not able to be vaccinated, can they still attend the all ages shows?
Children under 12 years of age will be permitted to attend but must wear a mask at all times when in the venue.
Q: Is mask wearing required?
Mask wearing is encouraged at all times, but not required.
A full overview of how the admission process will work, what documentation will be required, and more can be found on the Harvest website. Please note that these policies and processes may be updated again in advance of the Festival. Patrons will be notified if Harvest makes any changes to any of these requirements.
Visit The Fredericton Playhouse’s website for more information on their Covid-19 Safety Measures.
We know that some of you may not be pleased with this decision. Our staff and volunteers are working hard to provide a safe experience for patrons, volunteers, and artists, and appreciate your cooperation and patience as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters.
-The Harvest Team