Organizers of this year’s Roots N Blues Festival prepared Tuesday to open their gates on Friday in Columbia’s Stephens Lake Park. The annual event offers 3 days of music, food and fall fun.

This year’s festival will have several precautions to help keep everyone safe from the coronavirus. Ticket holders must provide proof that they were fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks in advance of entering the event or a negative test within 72 hours of the first day attended. Organizers want festival goers to take advantage of a QR code option on their website that allows people to prove their vaccination status in advance.

Festival Organizer Jamie Varvaro said, “It sends a QR code to your email. You can just literally scan that when you enter. You can also bring your vaccination card and show that. If you’re not vaccinated, bring that negative test result.”

Proof of vaccination for the festival can include an original, a direct photocopy or photo of a valid vaccine card.

Mizzou graduate and world-renowned singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow headlines this year’s festival on Sunday night.