Smoke shifts Britt shows to Medford

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Heavy smoke has forced the Britt Festival to change venues for its classical shows on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, moving from the outdoor stage in Jacksonville to a smaller auditorium at North Medford High. It’s possible that more Britt concerts will be played elsewhere if the smoke continues. And the change will have an impact on the Britt’s bottom line. “Our pops concert on the 25th, we don’t have the capacity for the number of tickets,” said Mike Gantenbein, marketing director for the Britt Festival. The Britt grounds can hold 2,200 people but the auditorium has an 800-person capacity. In addition, trucks will be rented to move equipment and musicians. Festival goers can drive their cars to North Medford High. Gantenbein said the Britt changed venues in 2012 for similar reasons. As the valley gains an unwanted reputation for smoky skies during the summer, Gantenbein said its having an impact on tourism. “My suspicion is ticket sales have been affected by that as well,” he said. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival also canceled outdoor shows over the weekend and anticipates it may have to cancel more shows if the smoke continues.