The twang is back! Beloved music festival MerleFest returns for 2021 with new dates.

The twang will return for 2021.

MerleFest, the beloved Americana and bluegrass music festival founded by guitar legend Doc Watson, will be held this fall. The festival was sidelined in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — one of the many festivals, concerts and events put on hiatus to slow the spread of the virus.

MerleFest will be held Sept. 16-19 at Wilkes County Community College in Wilkesboro, organizers announced Monday.

The 2021 lineup will be announced on June 10 during a 7 p.m. livestream, Merlefest organizers said in a press release. Tickets also will go on sale on June 10.

Historically,the festival is held in April as a celebration of springtime blossoms and bluegrass.

But organizers said this will be a one-time only change, expecting to reclaim the usual dates for 2022. The trade-off for fans missing the festival for a year-and-a-half will be two Merlefests in the span of seven months.

“After months of deliberation and extensive research with leading medical experts we feel it is in the best interest of our fans, artists, staff, college and community to reschedule the 2021 festival to the fall,” MerleFest festival director Ted Hagaman said in an Aug. 2020 statement.

“We have a reputation for providing a quality, safe, and organized festival and feel this move is necessary to again deliver that type of event. We’d like to express appreciation to many for their ‘can do’ spirit in rearranging schedules and plans to accommodate this move.”

Watson founded MerleFest in 1988, naming it after his son and guitar player Eddy Merle Watson, who was killed in a farming accident. The festival is considered one of the country’s top roots and bluegrass music events, drawing acts like Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss and the late John Prine to its stages over the years.

Last year, when MerleFest called off its 2020 festival, organizers said ticket-holders could roll their tickets forward to 2021.

Ticket options range from four-day, reserved seating passes at $270 or general admission for $190, to day passes at $60 or $80, depending on the day. Extras like camping and parking passes are available for additional fees.

For details, go to merlefest.org.