Having been cancelled earlier this year due to Covid-19, the highly anticipated Cobo Bay annual music festival, synonymous with summertime in Guernsey, will go ahead in August and September. The popular series of family-friendly, live outdoor music events, sponsored by JT, will resume with a fantastic line-up of local acts.
The return of the Balcony Gigs will be a welcomed celebration for islanders and a symbol of life returning to normal, having gone through such unprecedented times. This year, the free events will feature only local bands, highlighting the variety of talent we have right here on our doorstep. The festival’s programme has been built with the spirit of the ‘Guernsey together’ theme, which encourages islanders to celebrate together and support each other. The series kicks off on Sunday 2 August with The Big Band followed by four more events until 27 September.
David Nussbaumer, who organises the events for Cobo Bay Hotel, said: “Having gone through such challenging times, it’s fantastic we can come together and celebrate, we have a reason to party. We are thrilled to be able to put on the Balcony Gigs this year, working with our long-term partner JT to bring islanders of all ages together. It would have been really disappointing if the Balcony Gigs couldn’t have gone ahead when it’s such a big event in the island’s calendar year. Through our partnership with JT, we have been providing memorable community events that don’t involve travel or a ticket cost and we promise 2020 will bring a special close to the summer with a great atmosphere of local music, sun and fun for all the family.”
JT’s Deputy Managing Director in Guernsey, Tamara O’Brien, said: “For almost a decade now we’ve been partnering with Cobo Bay Hotel. It just wouldn’t be summer without Guernsey’s famous balcony gigs and we’re delighted the event series is able to go ahead. Bringing islanders together to enjoy the summer with free music and celebrate the place we call home, is what this is all about. This year, we will be celebrating everything that the Guernsey music scene has to offer with a local line-up of home-grown talent. Islanders have shown such resilience and a real sense of community throughout the pandemic, which is a cause for celebration as we ‘build back better’. This year’s event series will be one to remember.”
For those that are unable to attend, JT will be streaming highlights of the events on Facebook so islanders can enjoy the music from wherever they are. As always, given the beautiful location that these events take place in, and how lucky we are to benefit from them, we ask everyone attending to collect and take home their rubbish and leave Cobo Bay litter free.”