Seaside Daze postponed until 2021
Organizers may host small ‘isolation’ events this summer
DOMINION — The Seaside Daze festival is the most recent in a growing list of summer events cancelled as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
The organizing committee for the long-running summer festival that brings music and activities to young and old alike in the community of Dominion, made the call to cancel earlier this month after much consideration and deliberation.
“It's health first. We want everybody to be safe. That's all we are worried about,” said committee member Cathy Gillis. “The festival will go on next year. It's sad that it is postponed but everyone's health is more important.”
Gillis said the committee had been following news of COVID-19 and related social isolation restrictions for weeks.
As other events set for the summer and even into the fall began cancelling all around them, it became more and more evident that Seaside Daze simply could not go on as planned.
Even last week's word from the province that some provincial and municipal parks could open under strict guidelines didn't provide much hope to save the entire 2020 festival.
“We know, honestly, we will not be permitted to host the events,” she said, in response to government guidelines.
“They just keep extending and extending and extending. The little modifications they are making now, they are waiting for results for another two weeks to see how that went. That's just in walking trails and not people in other's personal spaces.”
Most Seaside Daze events attract large crowds, including a closing fireworks celebration that brings thousands together.
There's also outdoor music events and activities for children and seniors. All would bring too many people together, she said.
Another problematic issue that factored into the decision to cancel was fundraising for the festival. An annual auction has already been cancelled. Small business donations are also highly important.
“You can't go to businesses who aren't even open and look for donations. There's enough stress, financially, already on businesses, so we wouldn't even consider going to them to sponsor Seaside Daze.”
This would have been the 39th edition of the festival and Gillis has been involved for the past 23 years. Except for a few events shifting to rain venues, no Seaside Daze festival has ever been cancelled.
To at least keep the spirit of the annual summer festival alive, the committee is considering some very small events that will fall within social isolation guidelines.
A virtual event for children and perhaps a contest that allows families to decorate their yards so that judges can decide on a winner from a distance is one option.
“We will come up with some little thing just to say that it was Seaside Daze.”