The 65th annual Lumby Days is going to be a blow-out and live up to the theme.
When it does happen.
Organizers have canceled the 2020 event, slated for June 12-14 with its Happy 65th Birthday Lumby Days theme, due to COVID-19.
“We’ve been watching what’s been happening over the past many weeks and the timeline to prepare was running out,” said Lumby Days chairperson Merna Alexander.
It’s the first time the event has ever been canceled.
Meanwhile a similar situation has unfolded in a neighbouring community with Cherryville Days cancelled. The annual event usually goes the first weekend of June.
The Lumby Days organizing committee could not secure insurance needed for the food vendors, events and parade until at least the end of May, which would have left only two weeks to prepare for the event.
Said Mayor Kevin Acton: “Lumby Days is a long way off and although the group in charge were committed to doing everything in their power to make it happen, in the end, the prospect of not having insurance coverage was the game-changer.”
Lumby Days does not charge admission so fundraising is another key to the event’s success. Alexander said with businesses closing and people being laid off, it was not reasonable to expect Lumby Days to be helped out financially.
“Clubs, organizations and the schools are also staying safe and they need to get their committees together, that’s what makes Lumby Days a success,” added Alexander, who said the goal is to celebrate the village’s 65th birthday next year.
“We’ll be really happy to have this behind us.”
The theme will be carried over to 2021.
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