Another Centre County summer festival announces it will not be held this year
Another one of Centre County’s largest summer festivals was canceled Tuesday because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The People’s Choice Festival of Pennsylvania canceled its annual event for the second consecutive year, joining the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and Philipsburg Heritage Days in scrapping their plans.
“A year ago, who would have thought that we would have to do this again?” organizers wrote on Facebook. “Long story short, we are deeply saddened to report that there will be no People’s Choice Festival in 2021.”
The decision, organizers wrote, was not in their hands.
The festival takes place at the Pennsylvania Military Museum, which is owned and operated by the state. No special events, summer camps or festivals can be scheduled until the fall, organizers wrote.
The determination was made “to the best of our abilities and out of an abundance of caution,” museum Administrator Tyler Gum wrote in an email.
“In other words, since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania owns and operates the venue, we have no choice but to abide by their rules,” organizers wrote. “The People’s Choice Festival will return in 2022, and we sincerely hope you will too.”
The latest version of the festival that began in 1993 was scheduled for July 8-11.
President Joe Biden raised the possibility earlier this month of beginning to “mark our independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July, though he made clear that the July 4 timetable only applied to small gatherings.
The Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair is planning as if it will still go on from Aug. 20-28. Central PA 4th Fest has not announced its plans.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 9:07 AM.