2 Tri-City Fall Festivals Cancel For 2021

Newark CA

08 September, 2021

2:23 PM

Description

FREMONT, CA —The 38th Annual Fremont Festival of the Arts and the 18th Annual Olive Festival, both originally slated for fall 2021 in Fremont, are canceled for the second year in a row, due to rising COVID-19 cases, according to organizers. Both events also canceled in 2020, due to pandemic-related woes, and their backers were anticipating 2021 comebacks. The Festival of Arts, a two-day street fair that annually draws nearly 400,000 people, was booked for Sept. 25-26 in downtown Fremont. The Olive Festival, with live music, food and kids' activities, was planned Oct. 2-3 on Mission Boulevard. "With the onset of increasing cases of COVID variants and the increase in safety protocols, we do not believe that we can offer the protections needed to meet our high standards for a safe event," said Festival of Arts organizer, Fremont Chamber of Commerce. Officials noted that "it was not an easy decision, but one that was reached after very thoughtful deliberation knowing that the festival is an important event for our community." Chamber staff now is focused on 2022, with Festival of the Arts dates set for Aug. 6-7. "Until then, we invite you to enjoy spending time in the community at our weekly Fremont Street Eats, a much smaller, outdoor event," they added. Similar sentiments were stated from Mission San Jose Chamber of Commerce, the Olive Festival organizers. "With increasing COVID cases, we are concerned for the health and safety of our board members, hosts and community at large," officials said, adding that uncertainty coupled with non-refundable expenses led to the decision. The chamber annually directs its Olive Fest proceeds to such activities as the Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration at the Old School Building on Mission Boulevard and the Daffodil project. "We are still aiming to host the annual Mission San Jose Christmas Tree Lighting on December 4th," officials said. "If all goes well, we hope to see you then!" The two organizations are not alone in opting to scrap 2021 plans. Other recently announced regional cancellations include the Candle Lighters Ghost House, a Halloween tradition at Williams Historic Park's Chadbourne Carriage House in Fremont, the Castro Valley Fall Festival and the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival. Follow Mission San Jose Chamber of Commerce here on Facebook. For Festival of Arts updates, go to this link. ------------- FOR FALL FUN COMING UP NEARBY: Dine Out In Fremont & Raffles 2021Livermore's Iconic Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch Announces 2021 DatesHalloween Haunted Houses: SF Bay Area 2021 GuideDanville FallFest Announces October 2021 DatesOktoberfest 2021: Guide To The Best In SF Bay Area2 East Bay Ice-Skating Rinks Plan Holiday Comebacks For 2021