n order to keep our community safe from the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the Historic Morganton Festival, Inc. Board of Directors has canceled the 2020 Morganton Festival. The next Morganton Festival will be held on September 10 and 11, 2021.
“The decision was not made lightly, but in the end the Board of Directors decided to hit the pause button for 2020 to ensure the safety of our community,” said Festival Director Sharon Jablonski. “The Board felt strongly that there was simply no way to have tens of thousands of attendees in 8 blocks of downtown and provide any safe social distancing. As our retailers, restaurants and bars struggle to re-open while managing customer counts, safety and food product availability, it was quickly recognized that the added stress of a large event would not be feasible.”
With North Carolina reopening in phases more slowly than expected, there was no guarantee that restrictions would be lifted in time for the event to go on as planned. Jablonski said important deadlines of the planning process were approaching, and while the call was a tough one to make, it was ultimately the right decision.
“All of our contracts with deposits would have to be in place by June 1, and with our big contracts confirmed even earlier in the year, the deadline had approached to send final deposits,” Jablonski said. “But how do you ask a loyal sponsor for money when they are concerned with day to day business and keeping their own people employed? We are incredibly thankful for our loyal sponsors, and look forward to working with them next year.”
The Morganton Festival has brought tremendous enjoyment, economic benefit and wonderful memories to our community for almost 40 years. While it cannot happen safely this year, citizens can look forward to smaller events happening throughout the rest of 2020, where proper safety precautions can be implemented to protect our community.
“Downtown Morganton is excited to get back open safely, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the various events being planned,” Jablonski said.
Stay tuned for information on upcoming events on www.downtownmorganton.com, and the Downtown Morganton social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
