LINCOLNTON, N.C. — Yet another Charlotte-area event is being canceled in 2021, but the ongoing surge of COVID-19's delta variant is only part of the reason the Lincoln County Apple Festival has been nixed.
In a statement shared to Facebook on Monday, the City of Lincolnton said they and the Lincoln County Public Safety Committee took a hard look at resources available to safely produce the festival and determined there weren't enough available. The committee includes the Lincolnton Fire Department, Lincolnton Police Department, Lincoln County Emergency Service, and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.
'These children that are out here, they are lost' | Charlotte organizations still finding ways to end youth violence after two minors shot
The city said the apple festival demands full support and staffing from first responders at both the city and county level, and there was limited staff available to support the event. Additionally, the city noted area hospitals are still at surge capacity for COVID-19 and may not be available in the event of an emergency or mass casualty event. Current virus metrics were discussed as well, with the city noting a highly active rate of community spread and caseload with no evidence of declining activity.
'Every vaccine given is a potential life saved' | Cooper urges COVID-19 vaccines in Tuesday update
"The safety of our employees, residents, and visitors is of utmost importance. Unlike other local events, which are much smaller, require far fewer resources, and allow for more controlled event entry, the level of support required to provide for public safety at the Apple Festival is simply not available," the conclusion of the post read.
The festival was originally slated for Oct. 16, 2021