On March 16, 2020, the Festival Board of Directors voted to cancel in order to our dedicated volunteers and the entire community. Our decision was formulated based on the rapidly changing regulations from the city and state plus the CDC recommendation that all mass gatherings with 50+ attendees be cancelled or postponed for the next eight weeks. President Trump added during Monday’s press conference that more than ten people gathered proposed risk.

Those directives mean we would have to cancel the Volunteer Fair, General Meetings, Poster Reveal, and Regional Arts intake, and still with no guarantee that this time frame won’t be extended. All of our committees presently were amping up by doing a lot of work in the next few weeks. We do not want their work to be in vain if we waited any longer to cancel.

We, along with Festival’s Board, value the health and wellbeing of all of our volunteers, so we feel it is prudent to advise a halt of all committee activity and the annual Festival of the Arts in June.

Thank you to all the committees and participants who are so dedicated to Festival. Also, thanks to every sponsor/donor that contributed towards the sustainability of Festival of the Arts.  We appreciate all the artists, performers, volunteers, organizations, city leadership and community partners that make Festival such a success.

Tulip Time announced on March 16 that for the first time in 90+ years their annual festival had to cancel, and Festival was not far behind. Please take the time to focus on family, friends, and your own health in these times. We truly appreciate your standing with us in this very difficult decision.

Please email us at info@Festival.org with any questions or consider making a donation towards Festival of the Arts by clicking here as well.

Sincerely,

Melissa Bush
Board Chair

David Abbott
Executive Director