Country Music Association Cancels 2021 CMA Fest Due to COVID Pandemic: 'We Are Saddened'

Photo: imageSPACE/Shutterstock CMA Fest will have to wait until 2022. On Tuesday, theCountry Music Associationannounced that it will have to cancel this year’s iteration of their annual CMA Fest due to the COVID pandemic. (The Association alsocanceled last year’s event.) “After thoughtful deliberation, we are saddened to share that CMA Fest will not take place in 2021,” a statement on the organization’s Instagram read. “We know our fans near and far have hoped that the festival could safely return this summer, and while we are encouraged to see COVID-19 vaccines becoming more widely available, we still face several challenges that prevent us from bringing our fans around the world the CMA Fest experience they have come to expect.

Country Music Date Night! These Couples Lit Up the Red Carpet at the 2021 CMA Awards

01of 14Nicole Kidman & Keith UrbanJason Kempin/Gettyturned the 2021 CMA Awards into date night, with Kidman looking gorgeous in a sleek, black cut-out gown, and Urban choosing a metallic jacket.02of 14Carrie Underwood & Mike FisherJohn Shearer/Gettyrocked the red carpet, with Underwood donning a bold metallic, one-sleeved gown.03of 14Brendan McLoughlin & Miranda LambertBrendan McLoughlin and Miranda Lambert.Brendan McLoughlin and Miranda Lambertshowed off their winning smiles together during their red carpet date night.

Country Music Hall of Fame Ceremony to Go On Following Naomi Judd's Death, Wynonna Expected to Attend

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum announced that it will still hold its medallion ceremony on Sunday, a day after thedeathof country music starNaomi Judd— who was set to be inducted alongside her daughterWynonna Juddas the musical duo The Judds — on Saturday. Wynonna, 57, is still expected to attend the ceremony, a representative for the Country Music Hall of Fame told PEOPLE in a statement. However, red carpet arrivals have been canceled.

Country Music Hall of Famer Ray Stevens Declares 'There Ain't Nothing Political About Vaccines'

Country Music Hall of Fame memberRay Stevenshas many music industry friends who died fromCOVID-19. And he has a message.“You have to take it seriously,” he stated. “The vaccinations … do work.“Stevens, 82, is a singer and piano player most known for comedy hits including “Mississippi Squirrel Revival” and “The Streak” as well as his ballad “Everything Is Beautiful.” But Stevens, who recently re-opened his Nashville dinner theaterRay Stevens CabaRay Showroomand will release a new album on Oct.

Country Music Trailblazer Clay Walker Recalls the Day He Questioned It All: 'I Surrender'

Three years ago, Clay Walker decided to have a little conversation with God. The conversation came at a time when the ’90s staple with the storied career — encompassing four platinum albums and a slew of No. 1 singles — found himself treading water a bit within an ever-changing country music industry in which his brand of music started to feel a touch out of place. “There was a point that I told God, ‘You know, I’ve always envisioned that I was going to have an enormous career and all that, but this is in your hands, and I surrender,'” Walker, 51, remembers during a revealing interview with PEOPLE.