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Posts Tagged ‘cancellations’

Yikes, no bikes

Posted in cycling, tagged , , , , on July 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Another day, another cancellation.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out virtually every sporting activity in the region this spring and summer, and Wednesday afternoon one of the last events standing removed itself from the calendar.

The annual Tour de Whidbey bicycle race, a major fundraiser for the WhidbeyHealth Foundation, will not hit the roads after all.

The event, which would have featured six rides, ranging from a family-friendly 10-mile route up to a 162-mile Whidbey Power stage, was set to go down August 15.

Instead, event organizers are moving forward on the 2021 version of Tour de Whidbey, set for Aug. 14 of next summer.

“We hope that you and your families are continuing to do well and stay healthy!,” event organizers said in a statement.

“Sadly, following the Governor’s two-week freeze on all reopening phases, we have determined that it will not be possible to hold 2020 Tour de Whidbey.

“We love hosting, and we will miss being together and celebrating with you in August.

We appreciate your understanding, patience and support with the circumstances and our desire to hold the safety and well-being of our riders, volunteers, partners and communities at the highest priority.”

All cyclists will receive a full refund of their registration fee.

For questions, riders can contact Heather Tenore at tenorh@whidbeyhealth.org.

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No ferries for you!

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , , on July 1, 2020| 2 Comments »

Welcome to Ferryageddon.

If you were thinking of sailing to Whidbey Island in July, maybe step back, take a deep breath (from underneath your mask) and just say no.

Otherwise, get ready for deep, deep frustration.

A day after revealing several workers have tested positive for COVID-19, Washington State Ferries officials announced a reduction in service on two of the busiest routes.

The changes will be in place every weekend in July.

The Mukilteo/Clinton route, which is the busiest in the system, and the Edmonds/Kingston route, will both run just one boat, and not the normal two, on weekends.

In a news blurb released Wednesday, it was stated the move was “due to a shortage of available crew during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The dates affected are:

July 4-5
July 11-12
July 18-19
July 25-26

On those weekends, only the #1 sailings on the schedule will be used.

Washington State Ferries officials ask those wishing to sail to “plan ahead by checking schedules online and expect long waits if driving onto a ferry over each weekend, particularly during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.”

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Song sung blue for OH Music Festival

Posted in coronavirus updates, music, tagged , , , , on May 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The show will not go on.

The latest casualty of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is the Oak Harbor Music Festival, which was cancelled Thursday afternoon.

The event was scheduled for September 4-6.

Through seven previous go-rounds, the festival, which started in 2013, raised $35,000 for scholarships, which was divvied out between 27 graduating seniors.

Held in Oak Harbor’s downtown, the event pulled in musical talent from across the nation, while also giving a spotlight to local artists.

The festival featured more than 30 acts, while also providing space for food vendors, arts and crafts booths, sidewalk cafés, and a beer garden.

The following statement was released by the festival board:

 

In sadness for today, but filled with great hope and love for the future, we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Music Festival.

We have no doubt that when we return on Labor Day weekend in 2021 for our ninth annual event, our town will once again swell with the joy and celebration that is an end-of-summer touchstone for our friends and neighbors here on Whidbey Island and for our guests from across the Northwest and beyond.

In these uncertain times, our greatest concern is for the health and safety of the musicians, volunteers, vendors, our generous sponsors, and guests who pack SE Pioneer Way each year.

Three days of free music bring us close, elbow-to-elbow and heart-to-heart with each other. We cannot imagine a socially-distanced Oak Harbor Music Festival.

We are humbled by the way our community members — our local businesses and friends and public servants, City and County — have wrapped their arms around this festival.

You have volunteered countless hours every year; you have donated and sponsored this event; you all have had our back every step of the way.

We truly believe that, together, all of us have made Oak Harbor a better place.

Between now and 2021, we will keep our community informed as we heal and recover from this crisis.

We will honor and build on relationships and commitments already established with our supporters and partners.

And as always we will devote our energy faithfully to our mission: to inspire the community with the power of music.

With love and gratitude,

Cynthia Mason
Oak Harbor Music Festival President
& the OHMF Board of Directors

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Whidbey Island Fair cancels

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , on May 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »

They’ll be back in 2021.

That’s the hope for the Island County Fair Association Board, which made the difficult, but not unexpected, decision to cancel this year’s Whidbey Island Fair.

The decision was announced on the fair’s Facebook page.

This year’s fair was to be held July 16-19.

The decision comes on the heels of other major Whidbey Island events such as the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival also cancelling as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

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Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival cancelled

Posted in coronavirus updates, tagged , , , , on May 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »

For the first time in 56 years, downtown Coupeville will not be overrun by artsy types this summer.

Central Whidbey’s biggest shindig has been taken off the calendar, with the 2020 edition of the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival being cancelled.

This year’s event was scheduled to run August 8-9, but the festival was called off as the world battles the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board of Directors for the festival issued a statement Wednesday.

“Believing that the Arts and Crafts Festival should be a time of celebration, not anxiety, the board did not enter into this decision lightly,” they said.

“Public health and safety has been and always will be a top priority. In addition to our guests, there is a responsibility to provide a safe experience for volunteers, vendors and the community.

“The 2021 Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival will be held on August 7 and 8, 2021. Please join us at that time and until then, be safe.”

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