Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Summer is festival season in Buffalo and Western New York and we're all wondering the fate of our favorites as the days pass and the impact of coronavirus continues to play out. And after word the Allentown Art Festival was being canceled because of coronavirus, festival lovers started to get nervous about a domino effect, with other events being canceled as well.
Collins notes if it can't be held on July 11th and 12th, it will not be rescheduled. "If that's not possible, we will pause for this year and pick up in 2021. There are too many parties and people involved to move it to a later date and it's not just the Taste if it's not in July, so we're committed to those dates," says Collins.
This year's Hellenic Festival is set for the first weekend in June, and the big concern is whether it will be a safe environment to hold it then. Lou Pozantides says no decision has been made regarding closing or postponing the event but a meeting is coming up to help decide. "After a week or two, we should know better, but no clear decision has been made yet," says Pozantides.
Pozantides says cancelling the festival would mean a great fundraising hit for the bills paid by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
Cerza says one event statewide that could influence local events is the State Fair in late August. "It's the biggest event in the state. If the State Fair is allowed to go on, I think other events will be allowed to go on. It's going to be a dictator of what happens elsewhere," says Cerza.