COVID-19 may force cancellation of First Night Raleigh, other big events, mayor says
Raleigh could cancel or postpone special events and festivals for the rest of the year, including the city’s annual New Year Eve’s celebration, First Night Raleigh.
City staff is recommending all events that require a special event permit — like festivals, road races and parades — be canceled through Jan. 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said she agrees with the recommendation.
“We don’t know where we are going to be in December,” she said. “I would rather err on the side of caution. But it is disappointing and disheartening.”
The Raleigh City Council will learn more about the staff recommendation during a COVID-19 update at its meeting Tuesday.
Raleigh has more than 7,600 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to Wake County’s coronavirus dashboard.
“It’s a little heartbreaking, to say the least,” Baldwin said. “All the festivals we have, food-truck rodeos, that has really been the heart and soul of Raleigh. And now there is this big void. And those are the types of things that bring us together as a city, so now we have to figure out ways and work harder to create that sense of community and belonging.”
Raleigh Christmas Parade to go virtual
The Raleigh Christmas Parade is already scheduled to be held virtually this year, The News & Observer reported.
That won’t affect the Christmas parade’s plans, said Jennifer Martin, executive director of Shop Local Raleigh, which organizes the parade. But the group is keeping the details secret as a surprise for the community, she said.
“It’s disappointing,” Martin said. “Having things to do is how we enjoy our community, but we understand why these things are happening and regulations are changing so we can come back in January.”
The cancellations would not apply to events at city facilities like the Raleigh Convention Center or city parks, said Derrick Remer, the city’s emergency management director. For instance, no decision has been madeabout whether to cancel the Holiday Express at Pullen Park. However, ticket purchases have been postponed until an unknown date.
Protests and demonstrations are not covered under this recommendation either, he said.
Coronavirus cancellations
The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) released a report last week showing that more than 200 conventions, meetings and group sporting events have been canceled throughout Wake County due to COVID-19.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted tourism and hospitality numbers, there is hope for the future,” said Dennis Edwards, the bureau’s president and CEO. “Meeting planners and event organizers are still interested in the area and working with our team to reschedule events or book future business here in Wake County. Planners are incredibly receptive to learning more about our destination and are still booking out as far as 2024 and beyond for future events.”
Wake County has lost about $118 million in economic impact from those canceled events, according to Visit Raleigh.
This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 6:36 PM.
