The annual January Ice Jam Bluegrass Festival will not take place this year due to lack of venue.

According to Amy George, co-founder of the event, the Ice Jam was set to take place starting Friday, but the sale of the Days Inn on Route 8 left festival planners without a venue and without a choice but to cancel until further notice.

“We held it there for 25 years,” George said. “We had something very special. It had the biggest ballroom.”

George said nearly 3,000 bluegrass musicians and listeners would gather for a weekend to play and experience music at the Days Inn. It was the hotel's busiest time, she said, with people traveling from states such as New York and Ohio.

“So many people were repeat attenders,” George said. 'We had thousands of people in and out of that hotel all weekend.“

The festival organizers are searching for an alternative venue, but it's a challenge, George said.

“There's lots of people; it's loud. We'd stay up until two or three in the morning playing and having fun,” George said. “(The hotel) was a really big loss. To tell (people) it was canceled this year, it hurt. It still hurts.”

Proceeds from the festival go toward the Bluegrass Relief Fund, a nonprofit organization that aids local bluegrass musicians. George said bands would play the festival for free to benefit the cause.

“We'd have 25 bands, and people would donate to listen to the music,” George said. “We'd have raffles and sell shirts to raise money for the fund. The money that comes in goes back out to the bluegrass community.”

Though George is unsure of where the next festival will be held, community support will ensure the festival is resurrected soon.

“These people are amazing people. To hear everyone saying 'don't let it die' is something special. I know we can build on what we had,” George said. “We'll figure something out. Keep your ear to the ground. We're not going anywhere.”