Like many performers, South Australia's Graeme Hugo has turned to social media to keep his skills, and industry connections, up to date during lockdown.
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The country music singer from Kadina, on the Yorke Peninsula, has performed at Minimay's Lake Charlegrark Country Music Marathon 28 times, but will not return to Victoria in 2021 after organisers cancelled the event.
It has become the latest Wimmera gathering to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Hugo said he was sad to see the event cancelled, given it was a key part of his social and professional life.
"In a word, devastating," he said.
"It's become more than just a festival to us: It's an institution. My wife and I are now sitting around thinking what are we going to do with our February, because our February revolved around that festival.
"As a performer, we catch up with our peers in the industry, and our friends, because they have different artists every year. I remember when the lake went dry and we landed an aeroplane on it!"
The 2020 event was Mr Hugo's last paid gig before restrictions began. In the past month, Mr Hugo has performed to crowds of 70, but has largely used social media to fill the void.
"On Good Friday, as a gesture, I thought I'd go and live stream a gig for half an hour, just to say hello to my friends around Australia and indeed around the world," he said.
"I had around 160 people watch, so each Wednesday night since I've gone on for an hour. I treat it as if I'm standing in front of 1000 people. That has kept me in touch with not only people, but my music as well. My fan base has actually grown since I started.
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"I can't say whether (livestreaming) will suit everybody, but I've spoken to musicians that haven't done that, and they are struggling right now."
Festival president James Hawkins said the committee decided to cancel the festival two weeks ago, before announcing it on Monday.
"It takes a huge amount of input and planning, and in our view, to risk to our demographic was far to allow the event to go ahead," he said.
"We couldn't give clarity to all the different stakeholders to have an event we could pull together by February. We had been planning to go ahead with the thought we could pull the plug at any moment based on the health risk, and at our last meeting we did."
Mr Hawkins said he expected festivals to be one of the last aspects of pre-pandemic life to return. He said the LCCMM was in a good position financially ahead of its next planned event in 2022.
Mr Hawkins said the plan was for all the acts booked for the 2021 event to take the stage a year later.
"We are lucky to have a core group of good artists. There is a lot of water to go under the bridge, so we won't reveal any artists right now," he said.
"The committee is lucky to have a financial foundation built up over the last 14 or 15 years, so we can batten down the hatches until 2022. We won't be looking to the shire for financial support to keep going, and we were lucky to have the 2020 event go off without a hitch."
Mr Hugo said the best part of the festival was the people.
"Standing on stage and looking out at a sea of smiling faces, people dancing... that's what it's all about," he said.
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