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STATE COLLEGE -- For all intents and purposes, summer in Happy Valley has been canceled.
During a Zoom call on Friday, it was announced that four major summer festivals in Centre County will not take place this year because of ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Central PA 4th Fest, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, the People's Choice Festival and Philipsburg Heritage Days are all canceled for the first time in their respective histories.
Organizers say they arrived at the mutual decision as a result of lingering COVID-19 impacts and concerns.
Fritz Smith, executive director of the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, said the logistics of organizing each festival combined with the current mitigation guidelines and uncertainty about how long they would last led to the decision.
"We know these decisions were extremely difficult to make," Smith said. "They are equally as difficult for local residents, participants and visitors who look forward to these events year after year to absorb. However, they were necessary decisions. Our community will remain resilient as we celebrate perhaps a little bit differently this year."
The events were expected to draw more than 250,000 people to the Centre Region.
"The mission of the Central PA 4th Fest is to celebrate our nation's birthday. It doesn't matter if you are Democrat or Republican, what church you attend or don't attend, what nationality you are -- it's where we ALL come together to celebrate our Nation's birth," said 4th Fest President Kurt Weibel. "That can never be canceled by anything, including COVID-19. In a unified and concerted effort to keep our country, our region, and its people healthy and strong, we are taking a moment to pause until July 4th, 2021."
According to organizers, some virtual options are being looked at.
"We're a resilient organization and community," Arts Festival Board President Renata Engel said in a release. "While this is a disappointment at the moment, the Arts Festival team is already turning its focus toward engaging artists, entertainers, and volunteers in new ways during this unprecedented time. We look forward to using our creativity and collaboration to design and deliver memorable and engaging experiences for our audience this year, while continuing to support the safety and health of our community."