Bruce Cockburn performs during the Sisters Folk Festival in 2019.

The Sisters Folk Festival is moving to October.

The annual roots- and folk-inspired festival usually takes place the second weekend of September. This year, if COVID restrictions allow for a festival, it will take place Oct. 1-3.

The festival is moving to avoid the wildfire smoke season, according to posts on Facebook and the festival’s website, sistersfolkfestival.org.

The 2017 event was canceled due to poor air quality from smoky conditions, and a socially distanced concert in September in place of last year’s festival was also canceled due to smoke.

“We’ve had quite a few close calls, even dating back to as early as 2003 I think,” Creative Director Brad Tisdel said. “We’re doing what we can to put ourselves hopefully just a little bit outside of (the smoky season). We looked at the calendar pretty carefully and tried to stay away from different people’s events and all of that, and landed on that first weekend of October being a pretty good time frame.”

Many artists who were slated to perform at last year’s festival are booked to return this year if a festival takes place. Artists announced include Darrell Scott, Ron Artis II and The Messengers, Mary Gauthier, Willy Porter, Judith Hill, The Rainbow Girls and Beth Wood, among others.

“Tickets are not on sale, and until we know that we’re definitely moving forward with a festival, I don’t think we plan to put them on sale,” Tisdel said. “But we’ll look at the vaccine rollout and COVID concerns moving forward and see what kind of progress we’ve made collectively, and make a call determined on where we’re at at the time.”

The organization in partnership with ARTA River Trips also announced Going Rogue with Steve Poltz, a five-day trip on the Rogue River with folksinger Poltz from July 19-23. The trip is already sold out, Tisdel said, but the organization hopes to do similar events in the future.

Finally, SFF has two virtual events coming up. The first, a two-day songwriting workshop with Pete Kartsounes titled “Bringing Your Songs to Life,” will take place Feb. 27-28. Tickets cost $100 and are available at eventbrite.com. Then, the next Sisters Songworks virtual writing retreat takes place March 5 with host Beth Wood and instructors Johnsmith, Susan Gibson and Susan Werner. Tickets cost $175 and are available at eventbrite.com.

Visit sistersfolkfestival.org for more information.