The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Party in the Park 2020canceled
Painesville has announced that its annual Party in the Park summer concert event has been cancelled for 2020 as a result of ongoing novel coronavirus precautions.
This year would have been the 41st year of the event since its inception, according to event organizers, the Painesville Community Improvement Corporation. Originally scheduled for July 17-19, Party in the Park was cancelled via unanimous vote by event organizers.
“With regret after reviewing our current health situation, the Party in the Park 2020 will not be hosted this year in downtown Painesville” said Pam Morse, president of Painesville Community Improvement Corporation in a release.
The statement went on to highlight that the group “felt that they could not safely social distance with the large crowds this event draws.”
“I’d say we were more than 75 percent planned at this point.” Morse added in a followup interview. “Next year we’ll start all over again. One of the toughest things was that we already had some sponsorship support, which we are really grateful for. We’re hoping that next year those sponsors will get back on board and support us once more.
“Party in the Park is by far the biggest event in the social realm of Painesville,” said Painesville City Council President Paul Hach. “This year, the event was going to fall on my wife’s 60th birthday! I had planned to have a party within a party at Party in the Park.”
He adds, “I have been involved with PCIC for over 25 years so it’s sad to not to have ‘PITP 2020’ to look forward to but we have to look out for the health and wellbeing of our residents and the larger community too. These are uncertain times and we are trying to make the best decisions.”
Morse highlighted alternative fundraising plans that PCIC will be undertaking in the meantime.
“Something new and exciting will be introduced for 2020,” she said. “For two weeks this July, PCIC will be hosting an online basket raffle to raise funds to give back to the communities we serve.”
For more information, visit www.painesvilleimprovement.com or the PCIC Facebook page.