Havelock Country Jamboree lands listed for sale as fans await ticket refunds

Over the weekend, the lands that once housed the Havelock Country Jamboree were listed for sale.

This news comes after the annual August music festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Many fans of the festival purchased tickets in anticipation of a 2022 lineup announcement, but the expected May 2022 announcement was never made, and the festival did not take place that year. As of now, those with tickets for the 2020 and 2022 events have not been refunded.

In 2019, the Havelock Country Jamboree, held near Peterborough, Ont., celebrated its 30th anniversary. Over the years, the camping and country music festival hosted over 4,200 musicians from both Canada and the U.S., with festival-goers enjoying live music, food and drink, while strolling through the park grounds and vendor booths.

The land’s special features are now advertised to future buyers through the Realtor.ca listing.

“This unique property represents an attractive opportunity for buyer’s within the music and entertainment industry, given the current zoning which allows for special events,” reads the ad.

Listed at $4.35 million, the property consists of approximately 208 acres across two separate parcels of land containing hydro and road infrastructure, a $1 million “state-of-the-art” 60-by 40-foot Twin Stage, a four-bedroom house, shower and washroom trailers, various outbuildings, and more.

The ad lists many potential future uses including “music festivals, carnivals, exhibitions, fairs, hotel or motel, golf range, car wash, rental storage facility, medical clinics, motor vehicle dealerships, restaurant, entertainment venue and more.”

The sale of the event grounds ultimately means there will not be any future Jamborees held at the historic location, upsetting ticket holders who are still waiting on information about refunds for their 2022 tickets. Many members of the festival’s fan Facebook group have expressed their discontent with the event organizers’ lack of communication and refunds.

Organizers Paula Chopik and Ed Leslie have not responded to requests for comments on the situation. Their website currently states: “We would like to assure you that we are aware of how important the Jamboree is and how we have become a family…In the meantime, as to the issue of refunds, we are working on that as well and will advise as soon as we can.”