Over 200 coronavirus cases linked to Gorge music festival

More than 25,000 fans packed the Gorge for the 3-day country music festival July 30 to Aug. 1.

Associated Press

GEORGE — Public health officials said Monday that more than 200 COVID-19 cases are now linked to a three-day country music festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George that took place about two weeks ago.

Grant County public health officials said on Monday that they are aware of 210 people with COVID-19 linked to the Watershed Music Festival, The Seattle Times reported.

The Grant County Health District on Friday had said there were more than 160 cases. Officials are continuing to urge people who attended the event to self-quarantine and seek testing. The cases are linked to residents in nearly a dozen Washington state counties and one Oregon resident.

More than 25,000 fans packed the Gorge for Watershed, which marked the state’s biggest concert since the pandemic began in 2020.

Watershed festival organizers issued a statement Friday saying that they had “worked to ensure all recommended guidelines from local officials were followed.”

Live Nation, which controls the Gorge, said Friday it would require proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test result starting Oct. 4

However, several artists and festival organizers with events planned at the Gorge are instituting policies. Bass Canyon electronic music festival, set for Aug. 20-22, is requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, as is Phish, playing Aug. 27-29.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Northwest

Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown speaks at a press conference alongside Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and other local officials on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, at Seattle City Hall. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
‘Stay out of Seattle’: WA leaders tell Trump troops aren’t needed

Local officials fear Seattle could be the next city to see a deployment as the Trump administration prepares to send the National Guard into Portland, Oregon.

A different utility lines branch off in different directions from a utility pole along Railroad Avenue in 2024 in Skykomish. A bill proposed this year looked to add civil penalties for scrapyards that make deals for stolen copper used in telecommunication cables, but it failed to gain traction in the Legislature despite bipartisan support. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Utilities and telecoms turn to WA lawmakers for help as copper wire theft surges

Legislators are looking at tougher penalties and new requirements for scrapyards.

The Washington state Capitol on Nov. 11, 2024. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)
New sales tax on services in Washington takes effect Wednesday

A slate of other tax and fee hikes also kicks in Oct. 1, including on major financial institutions and to fund transportation.

Oregon sues to block Trump from sending National Guard to Portland

Oregon and the city of Portland are suing President Donald Trump to… Continue reading

Dr. Mehmet Oz testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, March 14. (Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times)
AI reviews rolling out for Medicare in WA for some procedures

The federal government will test a new model for the often maligned prior authorization process in Washington and other states.

In the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, the liability fund brought in just under $230 million, mostly from premiums, while spending $595 million, mostly for payouts and legal costs, according to state data. (Stock photo)
WA lawmakers faced with $570M decision on surging lawsuit payouts

A Washington agency that manages the state’s lawsuit payouts is seeking a… Continue reading

Ballot envelopes sit in the Thurston County elections center. (Laurel Demkovich/Washington State Standard)
Washington denies DOJ request for voter rolls

Washington’s secretary of state on Tuesday denied the Trump administration’s request for… Continue reading

Jessica Hilton as a child in an undated photo. (Photo courtesy of Talis Abolins)
WA ordered to pay $42M for negligence in child sex abuse case

The state can appeal the Spokane County verdict that adds to the state’s surging ledger of lawsuit payouts.

The Rimrock Retreat Fire burned through the Oak Creek drainage in Yakima County in 2024, but the damage was minimal due to tree thinning and prescribed burns the Department of Natural Resources completed in the area with House Bill 1168 funding before the fire. (Emily Fitzgerald/Washington State Standard)
Lands commissioner wants $100M boost for wildfire funding

Washington’s public lands commissioner is asking the Legislature for roughly $100 million… Continue reading

The Washington state Capitol on July 25, 2025. (Photo by Jerry Cornfield/Washington State Standard)
‘All bad news’: WA tax receipts expected to slide further

Projected tax revenue is down more than $500 million since the Legislature passed its latest two-year budget. One lead budget writer isn’t ruling out further tax increases next year.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson hosts a press conference on the impacts of President Donald Trump’s tariffs at Northwest Harvest on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)
New report: WA could lose billions from Trump’s tariffs

The president’s tariffs are being litigated in court, but could put tens of thousands of jobs at risk and raise prices for everything from shoes to electricity if they go forward.

A firefighter moves hazard fuel while working on the Bear Gulch fire this summer. Many in the wildland fire community believe the leadership team managing the fire sent crews into an ambush by federal immigration agents. (Facebook/Bear Gulch Fire 2025)
Firefighters question leaders’ role in Washington immigration raid

Wildfire veterans believe top officials on the fire sent their crews into an ambush.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.