Modesto NAACP cancels family festival because of COVID. A festival in Denair will go on
The continued spread of COVID-19 cases across Stanislaus County has led one group to cancel a festival set for this weekend, while another will go on as scheduled..
Though COVID deaths slowed down in the county over the Labor Day weekend, the Black Family Day Culture and Music Festival event planned for Saturday at Graceada Park has been canceled, said the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Modesto/Stanislaus. This comes as Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief White House COVID adviser, cautioned against massive crowds gathering outdoors as the delta variant spreads.
The Family Day was set to feature arts, crafts, food and a free COVID vaccination clinic, according to the organization’s website.
“We are sad to cancel but believe that given the latest advances, we are making the best decision to protect the health, safety and welfare of our community,” said Wendy Byrd, NAACP president, in a news release.
Also scheduled for Saturday, the Denair Farm and Family Festival is still on, said James Shehan, event chairman. He said the permit to have the event was just approved this week.
“We haven’t heard anything from the county” about canceling the event, he said. Shehan added that the event will be held outdoors and a mask is not required. The downtown event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. kicks off with a tractor parade and includes kids activities, live entertainment, 100-plus vendors and more.
The Oakdale Chocolate Festival, scheduled for Sept. 25-26, also still is scheduled. None of its promotional materials indicate masks will be required.
Tens of thousands of people attend the Oakdale event every year. In 2018, attendance was 45,000, according to the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce. In 2015, over 70,000 people attended, making it the second largest attendance record in the event’s history, chamber CEO Mary Guardiola told the Oakdale Leader at the time.
As of now, Stanislaus County is allowing events but requiring masks for indoor settings.
