
(IRISH PAVILION – FOLKLORAMA / FACEBOOK)
WINNIPEG — The province’s largest multi-cultural summer festival has been axed this year.
Folklorama announced Friday it is cancelling its 51st annual festival, planned for August 2-15, due to measures implemented in the battle against COVID-19.
“Our event is built on people coming together, not just during two weeks in August, but for many months prior to prepare to welcome festival-goers into pavilions with pride,” said Stan Hall, president, board of directors, Folklorama.
“There will be a time and place where we can all celebrate together, but following the Government of Manitoba guidelines, it cannot be this summer. We look forward to welcoming the world August 1st to 14th, 2021.”
As Folklorama is a non-profit organization, they say the decision to cancel the event wasn’t made lightly. Organizers say the annual flagship is a significant source of revenue generation for more than 40 ethnocultural communities across the city.
Folklorama is the latest summer festival to be nixed because of the pandemic, adding to the list of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, Dauphin’s Countryfest and others.