The arrival of summer typically brings with it a slew of festivals and events around Chatham-Kent. But with COVID restrictions still in place, things are a little different again this year.
Mayor Darrin Canniff says safety has to come first.
“I would love to see events happening starting July and August, but I’m not sure on that,” Canniff says. “But there’s going to be events happening, but it’s going to be smaller ones.”
Some, like this weekend’s RetroFest and the upcoming Festival of Giving, are still being held virtually, but Canniff hopes it won’t be much longer before we can return to something close to normal.
“Certainly I’m hoping by the fall and we’ll be able to get back into theatres and casino and all those other things, hopefully even by August.”
Under the province’s reopening plans, Step 2 allows for outdoor county fairs and rural exhibitions, outdoor performing arts and live music, as well as amusement and water parks.