CLEARFIELD – Downtown Clearfield’s Bloom & Berry Bash has been officially cancelled for 2020 amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Hosted by the Clearfield Revitalization Corp. (CRC), the eighth annual family-friendly summer event would have been held on June 27.
“We held out as long as week could,” said CRC Main Street Manager Loretta Wagner in a phone interview with GANT News on Wednesday afternoon.
She said the decision was made after “much discussion” and as a result of the uncertainty of what virus-related social distancing guidelines will be in place in late June.
Currently, Clearfield County is in the “yellow” phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s color-coded, three-phased system to gradually reopen Pennsylvania.
The yellow-phase prohibits social gatherings of more than 25 people, and strongly urges people to wear facial masks in public settings.
There’s also no indicator from the governor when the county will move out of the “yellow” phase into the “green” phase, and be able to fully reopen.
“We can’t do it,” Wagner said, adding current discussions among vendors indicate they aren’t even sure how they could set up in compliance with state and federal public safety guidelines.
She said there’s also concerns people will not attend out of fear of the virus, so the CRC has switched gears to plan a downtown event – likely a dance party – once Clearfield County is “in the green.”
With the Bloom & Berry Bash now off the calendar, Wagner also said they hope the downtown Fall Festival, scheduled for Oct. 10, will grow in size and be “bigger and better.”