CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As COVID-19 cases rise, more events around the Charlotte area are being canceled.
In Charlotte, the annual Labor Day parade has been called off. What's usually a joyful event for everyone involved is instead shuttered for 2021.
"I enjoy getting out here with the bull horn and starting the parade," said Ben Lee, the parade's chairman.
Unfortunately, a tough decision had to be made, and Lee wishes things were different this year.
"The decision came after a lot of thought, concerning whether or not we could safely put on the parade," he said.
The parade usually features around 500 people marching the streets of Uptown, but Lee says all those people aren't COVID-19 friendly. He said canceling the event was the right and responsible thing to do.
Meanwhile, the approximately 80,000 people who usually attend the Cabarrus County Fair will have to wait another year. The decision to cancel was made because of high community virus spread and low vaccination rates.
Again in Mecklenburg County, some events are adapting to the rising virus cases. The Greek Food Festival in Dilworth is playing it safe with a drive-thru format.
"We're not making specific recommendations on canceling outdoor events at this point," Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said. However, she did say safety is still the priority.
"We recognize that everyone wants to be back in normal situations as much as possible, outdoor events are safer but we really want people to pay attention to getting vaccinated," Harris said.
Other events that have fallen victim to cancelation include the Matthews Alive festival and Mallard Creek BBQ.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.