COLUMBUS – The vaccine against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 did not arrive in time to save two of the most popular annual events in downtown Columbus.
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The The Greater Columbus Arts Council has cancelled the 2021 Columbus Arts Festival and the city’s Parks and Recreation Department has called off the Jazz & Rib Fest.
“It is a heartbreaking decision to make; however, there is simply too much uncertainty surrounding the pandemic to responsibly host an event of this magnitude in early June,” arts council president Tom Katzenmeyer said in a statement Thursday morning.
While the rise in the number of COVID cases is slowing, Katzenmeyer says they remain “dangerously high.”
The council cited new, more contagious virus variants and the slow rate of vaccine distribution as factors in the board of trustees’ decision .
The 2022 event has been scheduled for June 10-12 in the Arena District, said Sean Kessler, festival director.
The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department also announced Thursday that the Jazz & Rib Fest for 2021 had been cancelled due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
“This decision was made to protect public health & safety,” the department tweeted.
The 2022 Jazz & Rib Fest has been scheduled for July 22-24.