A mixed bag for Sanders County events
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related concerns have led to many events being cancelled in Sanders County.
Others are in doubt, too.
Plains Day, scheduled for June 6, has been cancelled or postponed.
Homesteaders Days in Hot Springs has been cancelled, but the rodeo is still scheduled for June 13-14, according to event organizers.
Trout Creekâs Huckleberry Festival, scheduled in August, has been cancelled.
Jesse Haagenson, event organizer, issued the following statement:
Dear Huckleberry Festival Fans,
It is with heavy hearts that we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Trout Creek is a small tight-knit community, our Festival brings people from across the country to our little town.
This decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty. We take the safety and health of our vendors, staff, and community very seriously. We understand that a global pandemic does not stop at the Trout Creek Bridge and it would be irresponsible to gather over 5,000 people to our location this August.
Our hearts are with all of you; the vendors, nonprofit organizations and businesses that financially benefit from our festival, our performers, suppliers, and our visitors.
We look forward to getting past this difficult time. We will use this extra time to provide an even better Huckleberry Festival next year!
Vendors who have already paid booth fees, we appreciate your promptness. To keep our books tidy, we are refunding your payments immediately.
Please save the date for our 41st Annual Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival, August 13-15, 2021.
On the upside, the Sanders County Fair is still on as scheduled on Labor Day weekend.
On its Facebook page, the PRCA Rodeo is scheduled for Sept. 3-5 while the Carnage on the Clark Fork demolition derby is set to take place at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6.
The Sanders County Arts Council has cancelled its summer youth camp for kids in June. Performances scheduled in September through December have been cancelled as well as Artists in Paradise.
Art classes have been suspended.
The Spring Jamboree, set for June 6, has been cancelled, according to information on the Thompson Falls Chamber of Commerce website.