The following is text of a news release from Olympia Harbor Days:
(OLYMPIA, Wash.) — Olympia Harbor Days Festival and Tugboat Races, the 47th edition, has been cancelled for 2020. The announcement comes from the Olympia Kiwanis Club board of directors after much discussion about how to keep the festival safe for all – from attendees and tugboat crews to vendors and volunteers. The festival was to be held Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6. The festival is an Olympia Kiwanis Club event.
“We want to keep our community, participants and volunteers safe during this unprecedented and unpredictable coronavirus pandemic. The risk of hosting a free public event of this type is too great from all we know today,” said Denise Steigers, president on behalf of Olympia Kiwanis board of directors.
Carol Riley, executive director of Olympia Harbor Days, expressed thanks to the community including all sponsors, vendors and supporters of the event.
“It was a difficult decision to cancel this year and I believe this is the right step to take at this time. We hope to return in 2021 with a joyous celebration,” she said.
The Olympia Kiwanis Club, dedicated to helping children, also supports the community by maintaining three community gardens with all produce donated to the Thurston County Food Bank, a firewood donation service among other community projects. More information on how to help, volunteer, donate or to become a member can be found at www.OlympiaKiwanis.org. More information about the festival can be found at www.HarborDays.com.
