L.A. Phil announces July reopening for the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford

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At the Hollywood Bowl, 2017 (Photo by Jessica Hanley)

After losing their 2020 seasons to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood Bowl and the Ford will officially reopen in July, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced today.

The news comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom set a June 15 date to lift most COVID-19 restrictions and reopen the state’s businesses and venues.

■ Also see our Concerts page, which we will be updating as quickly as possible with new announcements.

“After more than a year of tremendous hardship and incredible demonstrations of resilience and care across our community, we are looking forward to reuniting our audiences, with one another and with live music at the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford,” L.A. Phil CEO Chad Smith said in a press release. “This summer’s concerts will likely be some of the most memorable, uplifting and restorative of our lifetimes, and we can’t wait to get started.”

The Bowl will actually get under way in May with the first of four free, limited-capacity concerts attended by front-line workers, presented in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente: Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil (May 15 and 22); Thundercat and Flying Lotus (June 12); and La Santa Cecilia (June 26).

In July, the Bowl launches 14 weeks of concerts, including the venue’s annual July 4 fireworks shows. Across the 101, the Ford anticipates a late-July reopening for a 15-week season. The venues will announce schedules on May 11 (The Bowl) and May 25 (The Ford), respectively.

Said L.A. Phil artistic director Gustavo Dudamel: “I cannot describe the joy and hope that I feel at the thought of returning to the stage with our musicians, in front of a live audience. We have found so many extraordinary and creative ways to share music together over the course of this pandemic, but truly nothing can take the place of performing in person. And nothing can compare to the magic of making music at the Hollywood Bowl, where the sound waves mingle with the soft breeze of a Southern California evening. My friends, we have missed you, and we cannot wait to share music in person again!”