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March 5, 2010

Country Fever canceled for 2010, challenging economy cited

From Staff Reports Staff Reports

PRYOR — There will be no Country Fever this year.  Festival organizers announced late Friday that Country Fever, Oklahoma's outdoor country music event, will idle in 2010.

A challenging economy is being cited for the decision to not hold the multi-day festival that began in 2003.

The festival has featured top country names including Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn, and Reba McIntyre,.

Organizers said  they will "re-assess the direction of the event."

"We've had tremendous success with Country Fever over the years, and we thought long and hard about continuing in some fashion this year, as well," commented festival co-organizer and President of the Catch the Fever festival site, Mark Nuessle. "But in listening to our long-standing customers and watching the slowly recovering economy, the Country Fever partners and I agreed that our best move was to wait until 2011."



Country Fever has faced open challenges in the last few years with shrinking attendance, lessening sponsor commitments due to the economic climate, and increasing artist performance fees. All of these things, combined with the very real financial hardships facing a majority of the festival's fans, led to the decision.



Nuessle went on to add, "The Country Fever 'die-hards' have been so incredibly supportive over the last seven years, and this is one of the hardest decisions we've ever had to make since creating this festival. And in the end, our only hope is that those loyal friends and will understand why we made this choice and will be back to support us next year."



"We've been fortunate enough to begin work recently with an outside company to begin to re-tool our other festivals to be formidable events for Country Fever's operations. "Our belief is that we will do the same with Country Fever and return in 2011 with an amazing lineup, an incredible slate of sponsors, and a country festival experience that will be like no other!"

Any with advance purchased tickets should call 866-310-2288 for a refund.  Tickets purchased by credit card will receive a refund on the credit card that was used



Tickets purchased by cash or check will have a check mailed to them.

Organizers are also offering a ticket exchange for either of its other events - Rocklahoma or Bikelahoma. The amount of the Country Fever tickets can be applied to the purchase of tickets at either event.

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Country Fever canceled for 2010, challenging economy cited
by From Staff Reports , Staff Reports , Fri Mar 05, 2010, 07:51 PM CST
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