Windsor's Art in the Park cancelled for first time in 41 years – Fort McMurray Today

For the first time in more than four decades, Windsor won’t have Art in the Park this summer.

The annual arts event at Willistead Park — traditionally taking place at the start of June — has been cancelled for 2020, announced organizers on Friday.

“This popular event has withstood all sorts of weather conditions and endured ‘rain or shine,’” said the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) in a statement.

“But this year, summer will have to start without this fan-favourite.”

The Ontario government has not set a date for when it will lift its emergency order prohibiting all gatherings of more than five people — part of the measures necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Physical distancing remains the direction of all public health officials in Canada.

“The health and safety of all our stakeholders is our paramount concern,” said Joel Rocheleau, chair of the Rotary Club’s Art in the Park committee.

Organizers told vendors and exhibitors that coming to the decision to cancel Art in the Park was a struggle.

Among the things that were taken into consideration were the results of a vendor survey.

Of 126 responses, 49 per cent said that Art in the Park should be postponed until September.

Another 44 per cent said the event should be cancelled outright this year, and planning should be shifted to holding the event next year.

The idea of an indoor event had “limited support.”

Long-time participating vendors expressed concern about “diluting the quality of the event.”

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Art in the Park began in 1970 under the Art Gallery of Windsor, but Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) took over in 1978.

Willistead Park in Windsor’s Walkerville area has been the traditional location of the event.

Attendance of the two-day festival typically exceeds 22,000 people.

The event features more than 260 artists and artisans from across Ontario and Quebec as vendors and exhibitors.

Food, beverage, and live entertainment have also been anticipated aspects of the gathering.

Organizers said refunds are being issued for all participants who already paid their application fees.

This summer’s event would have been the 42nd edition of Art in the Park.

Interested members of the public are encouraged to visit the Art in the Park website (www.artintheparkwindsor.com) to see what would have been the list of exhibitors this year, with links to their respective work.

dchen@postmedia.com