Three Big Western Colorado Festivals Not Happening In September
Welcome to September, the month of zero festivals in the Grand Valley.
From Fruita to Palisade, the coronavirus pandemic has dealt a fatal blow to events, activities, and festivals over the past several months. Now, as we get set to usher in the fall season, we are reminded of how different September 2020 is going to be.
We said goodbye to the Pork and Hops festival, typically held on the second weekend of September. Along with it goes all of the delicious barbecue, the beer, the music and the cornhole.
The cancellation of Colorado Mountain Winefest in Palisade was huge. This annual event attracts thousands of people each year, many, of which, come from all over the region and from across Colorado.
September traditionally wraps up with the Fruita Fall Festival, but not this year. Nobody was surprised when the announcement came that there would be no festival this year. I know it was a difficult and heartbreaking decision for the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce. But, they really had no choice in light of the circumstances and the current state requirements for events.
We expect all of the events to return in 2021, but the reality is, nobody knows for sure what things will look like in this country 12 months from now. All we can do is hope and wait.
One thing we can do is enjoy a condensed version of the annual car show in downtown Grand Junction. The Mobility Driven Car Show is happening on Saturday, September 12 in the parking lot of the Grand Junction Convention Center. It will be a bit smaller than normal, but we still expect around 80 classic cars. Social distancing and safety measures will be in place, and the wearing of masks strongly encouraged. It's an event that can be pulled off safety while complying with all of the current health guidelines and restrictions.
It definitely feels weird not having the usual festivals in September in the Grand Valley, but, there's nothing we can about it except make the best of it. There are still a number of outdoor activities we can do and a handful of concerts at the Amphitheater, so do what you can and look optimistically to better times in 2021.
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