Strawberry Falls To Wildfire

California’s Strawberry Music Festival won’t take place this fall, at least not over Labor Day weekend, thanks to the massive Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park.

Tuolumne County officials notified Strawberry organizers that they could not allow the roots music festival to go ahead because of hazards posed by the nearby fire.

It was scheduled and permitted at Camp Mather near Groveland Aug. 29 to Sept. 2.

Festival officials are avoiding the “c” word – canceled – and appear to have left the door slightly ajar for the twice-yearly festival to take place at a later time.

Strawberry Music Festival traditionally takes place for three days each over Memorial and Labor Day weekends. “The possibility of rescheduling the festival cannot be considered until the Rim Fire is contained, roads are opened, utilities restored, and more importantly our friends and neighbors have returned to their homes,” Strawberry staff wrote in an email and Facebook posting.

The wildfire has so far consumed 150,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada at press time, and is 17 percent contained.

The festival was to have featured The Mavericks, Patty Griffin, Del McCoury Band and dozens of other artists.