The Jackson International Food and Art Festival board of directors and the City of Jackson announced Tuesday morning the cancellation of the festival scheduled for September 26, 2020, due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, according to a news release from the City of Jackson.
“Protecting festival audience and community partners is the priority of event organizers. Recommended guidelines received from state and federal governments indicate special events that can attract large numbers of people and the inability to practice social distancing creates an environment that may put individuals at risk. We felt canceling the event this year was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented situation,” said Dr. Sandra Dee, event co-chair.
You can watch Dee’s announcement below:
From a planning perspective, festival organizers also considered the impact on vendors and contract agreements in their decision to cancel this year’s festival. “We felt it was in the best interest of the community to cancel the event for the safety of attendees and to prevent economic risk for vendors and the festival overall,” stated Eduardo Morales, event co-chair. “Advance planning in this unpredictable environment made it difficult to move forward with securing entertainment and vendor agreements. The event is canceled for this year, but we want to extend an invitation now to support the 2021 festival!”
You can watch Morales’ announcement below:
The festival attracted nearly 15,000 people last year and was recognized as the heartbeat of the arts in the community. The Jackson Arts Council presented the Heart and Soul of the Arts Award to the JIFAF last year for its’ mission to spread cultural awareness, promote cross-cultural engagement and celebrate the diverse backgrounds of residents throughout West Tennessee.
“Since 2013, the Jackson International Food and Art Festival has served as a place where we celebrate our unity and share our culture, art, and traditional performances. The festival aims to remind the community that despite the difference in appearance, place of origin or heritage-there is far more that unites us than divides us,” said Mayor Scott Conger. “The decision to cancel this year’s event was difficult for organizers and the City of Jackson but we know it is the right decision based on the information we have today.”
For more information about the Jackson International Food and Art Festival, contact www.JIFAF.com or call Bridgett Parham at 731-425-8398.