The annual Mission concert will not be held in February next year, but could possibly be staged later in the year or even 2016.
The announcement was made at a special media briefing at the Mission Estate Winery by Sports Entertainment Limited, producer of the Mission Estate Concert. SEL chairman James Erskine said that the search for a suitable act had been fruitless so far this year and rather than continue to ask for patience from the many thousands of loyal concert fans who attend annually, SEL had made a decision to postpone the concert until a suitable act can be secured.
"For the past 22 years we have staged an annual outdoor concert at the Mission Estate Winery and presented some of the largest names in entertainment. In more recent years however, it has become increasingly difficult to attract world class artists who meet the Concert's key drivers - affordable ticket prices, North Island exclusivity and a mid-Summer timeframe", said Mr Erskine.
"These difficulties can be put into two major areas: first, the availability and schedules associated with international tours and the geographical difficulty in time for acts to travel to Hawke's Bay"
Mr Erskine further explained that while discussions with agents and managers continue, he respected that Mission Concert Club members, supporters and suppliers needed time to make arrangements and that it would be unreasonable of SEL to delay this process.
He said that today's announcement did not spell the end of the concert.
"It's a hiatus only. There will be a 23rd Mission Concert announced in the future and the tradition will continue."
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Tantalising Mission talk
Mission Concert not the last
Last year's concert dubbed the British and Irish Invasion and featuring singers Ronan Keating and Billy Ocean, Leo Sayer, Sharon Corr from the Irish band the Corrs, and Spice Girl Mel C, saw smaller crowds than in previous years turn out.
