A large-scale performance event that was due to take place at the Macao Outdoor Performance Venue in early September has been cancelled, according to a statement released on Saturday by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials IC).
The current cancellation is a setback for the venue, which has remained underused since it began a one-year trial period from 7 December 2024. Aside from a government-organised Cantopop concert held on 28 December 2024, the space has only hosted one other event so far – a performance by DJ Alan Walker that took place on 15 June.
The IC did not name the event that had been cancelled in early September, although the Hong Kong news outlet Allin Media speculates that it is the S20 Songkran Music Festival.
Few details about the inaugural S20 Macao have been unveiled, except for the fact that it is due to take place at the outdoor venue on 6 and 7 September. The organisers – Australian events firm, Box Live, and the Macau Cultural Promotion Association – have to date not provided information relating to the lineup and ticketing.
Allin Media, reports that it contacted the Macao-based organisers on Thursday about the status of S20 Macao, but had yet to receive a reply when it published its story on Saturday.
As of writing, S20 Macao’s organisers have not issued a statement on whether or not the concert will go ahead. Various comments left by social media users on the event’s Instagram page make reference to an apparent cancellation, however, with Allin Media noting that some have already booked their hotels and air tickets.
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In its statement, IC said it received a request to cancel the early September event from the organisers on Friday. The authorities have since reopened the slots for that period to organisations and performance groups who wish to submit an event proposal.
Despite the cancellation, IC said that the venue has “been rented out by the performance sector for use in mid and late-September and late October,” with upcoming events set to host “around 30,000 people.”
The current cancellation follows one that occurred in March. At the time, the outdoor venue was supposed to host a concert of around 20,000. The idea was ultimately scrapped, as the head of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man, stated that the roughly 30 proposals received did not meet the length and audience number requirements.
Moving forward, the venue is scheduled to stage the Fact Music Awards (TMA) on 20 September, celebrating the best in the K-pop industry.
Information obtained by local media also reveals that the Macao-leg of the Waterbomb Music Festival will also be taking place at the venue between late September and early October, although the current date is listed as 9 and 10 August.
Established late last year, the Macao Outdoor Performance Venue is located on the Cotai Strip, next to the Lisboeta. As the city’s largest external performance space, the 94,000 square metre venue can hold over 50,000 audience members.
