The Highland County Chamber of Commerce has made the decision to cancel both weekends of the 2021 Highland County Maple Festival, originally scheduled for March 13-14 and 20-21.
In a typical year, the Maple Festival draws thousands of people daily throughout the county in densely packed crowds. The current Forward Virginia Phase Three guidelines restrict mass events to a total of 250 people, including all staff, vendors and volunteers.
The Chamber alone coordinates more than 100 vendors throughout downtown Monterey, the Highland County Public School System, and McDowell as part of the festival.
Even though the majority of the overall festival takes place outside, the state requirements of crowd control, social distancing and extensive cleaning processes in these high traffic areas is just not feasible.
Even though the festival is canceled, certain Chamber member businesses and organizations, including sugar camps, have made plans to be open in the late winter and spring, following the state guidelines specific to their designated business type.
More information about Chamber member offerings will be forthcoming at www.highlandcounty.org in the coming weeks and months.
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