Event planners say Woonsocket Autumnfest will return in 2021

WOONSOCKET – The pandemic may not be utterly vanquished yet, but the Autumnfest Steering Committee is feeling confident enough about the future to announce that the city’s signature bash is on again for 2021.

Autumnfest Chairman Garrett Mancieri said the organization has begun booking vendors, talent and parade participants for a celebration he’s hoping will be as close to a pre-pandemic Autumnfest as possible.

It’s still too early to tell how normal that might be, and Mancieri said organizers could wind up regulating the number of people who may gather for certain features at one time, like the beer garden and the food court.

“The only thing we really anticipate is they might require a limit at some events,” he said. “We might have to count people in the beer tent or food court. Obviously we’re hoping we don’t have to do that, but we have plans in place to do that if it’s necessary.”

And there could be some new offerings at the trade kiosks that Autumfest guests haven’t see before: Think COVID-19 vaccines and quick-tests.

Mancieri said he hasn’t gotten any commitments for such fare at this time, but Thundermist Health Center, Landmark Medical Center and CVS Health are all major sponsors of Autumnfest. And he would not be surprised if one of more of them sets up a stand to offer vaccines or tests to visitors.

“We are open to it and we’d be happy to offer that as an option for people,” said Mancieri.

Mancieri’s confirmation that Autumnfest is a go for 2021 comes as Gov. Dan McKee prepares to celebrate the state’s million-dose milestone for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. The Rhode Island Department