People gather before the first act of the 2019 Electric Forest festival near Rothbury. (June 27, 2019)

ROTHBURY, Mich. (WOOD) — The Rothbury Village Council on Thursday rejected a request from organizers to reschedule the Electric Forest Music Festival.

Promoters had wanted to move the festival from June 25 through 28 to Sept. 10 through 13 due to concerns about coronavirus. They said moving it would allow them to book acts and still cancel at a later date if necessary.

About 20 or 30 people, mostly from the greater Rothbury area, attended the Thursday evening meeting to discuss the measure, Village Clerk Carol Witzke told News 8. Those opposed to the move worried coronavirus would still be a concern in early September, which is also when school will start.

Sheriff Craig Mast did not speak for or against the festival, but noted the county sees an increase in arrests during the festival and that an outbreak at the jail would be a big problem.

The village council ultimately voted 5-2 against moving the dates of the festival’s permit. The current permit for June is still good, the clerk said.

It remains to be seen what Electric Forest organizers will do. In a statement posted online Thursday night, they said they were “exploring all … options.”