International fest canceled

‘Safety has to be the No. 1 concern right now,’ mayor says

The Lorain International Festival and Bazaar, the city’s signature summer gathering, will be canceled for 2020 due to safety concerns about the novel coronavirus. The Lorain International Association board this week made the unanimous decision to put the 54th annual festival and bazaar on hold until 2021, said President Ben Davey. Events were to start June 24, with the bazaar running June 26-28 at the Black River

Landing waterfront festival site.

“This is not an easy process for us,” he said. “We really don’t want to cancel the festival but our concern really is for all the guests that might come out, our food vendors, the princesses and our volunteers.”

The festival and bazaar began in 1967 and celebrated the 50th anniversary in 2016.

The International Association members hope for a swift turnaround with treatment and prevention of COVID-19 and a return to normal social gathering.

But for now, the festival committee needed to commit to full-scale planning efforts, or choose to wait it out due to uncertainty of the public health conditions.

“I think everybody is deeply disappointed,” Davey said. “It’s part of the summer in Lorain and it’s a sad thing when we think about a major summer event being canceled.”

It may be possible to collaborate with another community organization or event to celebrate Lorain’s heritage as the International City later this year, he said.

The Lorain International Association has reached out to possible community partners, but no plans are set yet.

The association also hopes to change any rules for qualifications for International Princesses who applied this year and want to return in 2021, Davey said.

In March it started to become clear how widespread the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic would be, Davey said. He cited closures of Disney parks, Broadway shows and the NBA canceling the rest of its season.

In Ohio, some of the larger city festivals and gatherings have been postponed, based on guidance from public health experts. Davey cited examples like Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s decision this month to limit summer concerts and public events.

“What I was really monitoring was what the locals were doing,” Davey said.

The International Festival’s events and bazaar held at Black River Landing, draw food vendors, older residents and young people. The association needs to consider their safety and security, Davey said.

“I think a nightmare scenario would be one in which we have this festival and a hundred people get sick, or more,” he said. “We don’t want to put anyone in that position.”

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said he hopes the International Festival could join another festival and local businesses can reopen when rapid testing becomes available to ensure people are safe.

“It’s disappointing but safety has to be the No. 1 concern right now,” he said.

Part of the danger comes from people who don’t show symptoms of COVID-19, but still are carrying the virus and could infect others, the mayor said.

Meanwhile, information about the disease and its spread seems to change on a daily basis, so in Lorain and elsewhere, everyone is relying on healthcare professionals for guidance, Bradley said.

Lorain Port Authority Executive Director Tom Brown said the organization’s summer schedule “is completely in flux.”

“Obviously, we’re saddened by the news,” he said about the International Festival and Bazaar.

The Port board and staff will comply with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s orders about public gatherings and essential services, Brown said.

They also intend to do everything in their power to help Lorain residents and visitors have a good summer with some sense of normalcy, Brown said.

That could include flexibility to have a smaller celebration later in the year with the Lorain International Association, he said.

The Port Authority also has continuing maintenance for Black River Landing and its sites.

The numbers of walkers are up around the sites and at the very least, the Port Authority wants to provide waterfront access to people for enjoying a nice walk, Brown said.