2023 Block party at Basilica of St. Mary still on hiatus

Basilica Block Party has been held since 1995 to raise funds to accommodate church repairs. Image: Vonecia Carswell|Unsplash

After COVID-19 shocked the world and closed all the establishments and churches, the Basilica of St. Mary announced that the 2023 Basilica Block Party is still on hiatus.

Minneapolis residents expressed disappointment after discovering that one of the summer music festivals had been called off.

2023 Basilica Block Party

In 1995, a group of concerned citizens got together and started hosting the annual Basilica Block Party to collect money for the building's repair.

Explore Minnesota shared that all earnings go to The Basilica Landmark, an organization dedicated to the long-term care of the historic Basilica of Saint Mary. Also, the St. Vincent de Paul outreach program at The Basilica receives a percentage of the proceeds from The Basilica Block Party.

This summer would have been the 26th season of the music festival held at the Basilica of St. Mary in downtown Minneapolis. Still, on Monday, festival organizers announced that they had decided to postpone the event.

According to Star Tribune, not a single employee explained the reason behind this year's postponement of the festival. The news outlet added that music festivals had faced financial difficulties since the pandemic began.

Concert production costs have increased across the board, and corporate support of festivals has dropped out as large businesses struggle in the still-weak U.S. economy.

Affected by the Pandemic

In 2021, the block party was already having difficulty with its finances.

The block party organizers had had a rough go of it after moving the event from its customary mid-July weekend to early September to accommodate falling COVID waves.

Per the report, they had to deal with the hassle and some pushback from demanding that everyone there provide proof of having had the COVID vaccine. But, with barely a day's notice, they lost their biggest draw, the Avett Brothers, who had to postpone shows due to COVID outbreaks in their camp.

About Basilica of St. Mary

A Christian community built on the message of Jesus Christ can be found in the Basilica of St. Mary. They are called to be good stewards according to the Bible and to spread the Gospel through their actions and words.

As a Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Basilica is dedicated to providing edifying liturgies, sacred arts, and opportunities for lifelong learning. They are actively working toward mutual aid and fair treatment of all parties involved.

According to the website, the church is dedicated to the continued development of the parish. Their five-year plan details their three primary goals and objectives.

This strategy expands upon the parish's established vision, mission, and values since 2013.

Diversity, Inclusion

The Basilica of St. Mary is devoted to the difficult but vital task of eradicating racism and fostering inclusivity. They believe trusting others and forming relationships are crucial for this job.

Comfortable people will need to learn to tolerate pain.

The Basilica will strive to reduce racism in the congregation and the surrounding area. When it comes to fighting injustice, the Basilica will not remain on the sidelines.

They will investigate the extent to which racism has been institutionalized.