TIME LOST:

THE BPM FESTIVAL COSTA RICA POSTPONES 2022 EVENT.

Two days before it was scheduled to begin, organizers of The BPM Festival Costa Rica have postponed the event. The festival had been scheduled to take place in the beach town of Tamarindo, Costa Rica from Jan. 12-18, 2022. Organizers have not yet published new dates.

“After more than a year of planning and looking forward to welcoming you to our 15th anniversary edition, we sympathize with your sense of disappointment and frustration and are beyond heartbroken to share this news with you,” BPM organizers wrote in a statement.

This postponement is due to new country-wide restrictions announced that ban mass gatherings, among other regulations. These regulations will extend from Jan. 11-23. The Costa Rican government announcement notes that “In just the first 7 days of 2022, 11,999 infections were registered, practically the same figure accumulated during the final 61 days of the previous year (that is, all of November and December), when there were 12,200 positive cases.”

The BPM Festival, the longstanding dance event focused on underground house and techno, was scheduled to host more than 200 artists including Jamie Jones, Diplo, Nicole Moudaber and Carl Craig. A source close to the event notes that The BPM Festival Costa Rica stands to lose several million dollars due to the cancellation.

The latest development follows the cancellation of Mexico’s Departure Festival, which was scheduled to take place in Playa Del Carmen from Jan. 8-11 and scrapped due to newly imposed government restrictions intended to curb the Omicron surge.

January is typically a busy time of year for dance festivals in Central America, with many fans spending the month at events happening throughout the Mexican Riviera, including Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, before moving on to Costa Rica.

BPM Festival 2022 ticketholders have the option to roll over their passes to the 2023 event, receive a refund, or exchange the value of their festival pass for BPM merchandise available in Tamarindo.