HARRISON HOT SPRINGS, BC, April 22, 2020. It is with sadness that the Board of Directors and staff of the Harrison Festival Society are announcing the cancellation of the 2020 Harrison Festival of the Arts, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans are to return with an exciting 2021 festival, from July 9-18, 2021. The following is a statement from Executive Director Andy Hillhouse:
For over 40 years, the mission of the Harrison Festival Society has been all about celebrating culture and community. We have furthered this mission primarily through the July Festival of the Arts, with live concerts on the beach and in the hall, art exhibits, theatre, literary readings, children’s programming, and a vibrant artisan market. Sadly, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be able to produce our cherished annual summer festival.
The health and safety of our beloved festival community is paramount. With the bulk of our volunteers in a vulnerable demographic, we feel it would be irresponsible to produce a live event that puts the safety of these folks at risk, and of course the safety of our audience, staff, and performers.
Indeed, the network of artists and festivals that constitutes the summer touring circuit has already been severely disrupted for this year. In addition, the provincial government has signaled that large events and gatherings will not be allowed this summer. At her April 18 COVID-19 update, provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry said that “Realistically, we will not be having those big events where people gather this summer…those types of large, mass gatherings where people gather, this is not the time for that.”
While we may not be able to gather and dance with our friends to a live band in the Memorial Hall, or gaze out on the lake as we meditate on the skills of a masterful musician, there are other ways that we can get our social and cultural buzz in this time of limited social intimacy. The festival staff are currently exploring such options, whether virtual or, if possible, at a safe social distance, and we will keep you informed as these activities develop. We see this as an opportunity, even while we admittedly feel broken hearted that we will not be able to have the July celebration that we look forward to all year.
So let’s keep in touch – drop us a line to say hi, stop by our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter pages, and
we will keep you up to date on our latest news and goings on. We are committed to, providing the
cultural heartbeat and human connection we know folks yearn for in these strange times.