A beloved fall event in the Wiregrass region of Alabama has reportedly canceled its 2020 edition.
WTVY in Dothan is reporting that the 2020 National Peanut Festival has been canceled. The event had been scheduled for November 6-15.
The TV station says news of the cancellation was confirmed by “several people with knowledge of the situation” who asked for anonymity because they had been told not to discuss the matter publicly yet.
More evidence for the cancellation comes from Reithoffer Shows, the carnival provider that contracts to help put on the festival every year, posting on Facebook “its 2020 and fun has been canceled,” at 3:11 p.m. on Thursday.
According to WTVY, that post came around two hours before an emergency meeting of the National Peanut Festival Board of Directors.
The festival was first held in 1938, and 2020 is the first year it has been canceled since World War II.
The festival’s website says around 200,000 patrons visit the fair every year.
The presumed reason for the cancellation is the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The festival wrote on its website in June, “An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, senior citizens and patrons with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable.”
“The Board of Trustees also reserves the right to delay/amend/cancel events as it may become necessary,” the festival added.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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