Music festival in Alamos, Sonora, now in question as COVID cases rise
Hopes that an annual music festival could return to neighboring Sonora, Mexico, this month are beginning to fade.
Sonoran leaders have insisted for weeks that the annual Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Festival, or FAOT, could safely return to Alamos this month after being cancelled last year amid the pandemic.
But this week, health officials said they were reevaluating the viability of the nine-day festival as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state and the country.
Health Secretary Jose Luis Alomia said no final decisions have been made, but health officials are monitoring the situation.
The festival is named for famed opera singer and philanthropist Alfonso Ortiz Tirado, who was born in Alamos. It has attracted local, national and international musicians, artists and performers for nearly four decades, and is considered one of the most important cultural events in Sonora.
Organizers had established strict safety protocols including mask-wearing and occupancy limits. For now, the festival is still set to start on Jan. 21.
