For the second year in a row, the 100 Mile Festival of the Arts has been cancelled.
The festival, which is typically held in the spring, was cancelled last year due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to sponsors this year, festival president Elaine Saunders said the committee decided to draw the curtain on the event as a result of recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the South Cariboo and the Interior, the spread of the new COVID-19 variants in B.C. and the continuation of restrictions and guidelines laid down by Dr. Bonnie Henry.
“It is encouraging we have a vaccine; however, distribution will take many months, as will the resulting herd immunity,” Saunders said.
Saunders said they chose to cancel the event as they felt they could not safely hold registration on Feb. 6 and that the risk of further COVID outbreaks in the spring was too great. She is hopeful that by this time next year planning for the 2022 festival will be well underway.
If anyone wishes to join the festival committee, Saunder said the annual general meeting will still take place on June 14 at 7 p.m. She said the committee is looking for new blood to carry on promoting the performing arts in 100 Mile into the future.
“It is anticipated that several of our members will be resigning after many years of service,” Saunders said.
To contact Saunders directly, the public is invited to email her at elaine.saunders@shaw.ca.
@patrickdavies
patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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