Republic file photo Decorations and champagne glasses at kidscommons Carnivale Monte Carlo: Masquerade held at the Commons, Saturday, February 8, 2020.
The kidscommons’ festive annual food-and-fun fundraiser Carnivale: Winter Olympics 2022 originally set for Feb. 11 will be postponed at least until summer because of the increasing number of local COVID-19 cases, according to organizers.
Ben Wagner, executive director, made the announcement Friday.
“With this recent and latest COVID spike, we simply felt that having it now was not the best idea,” Wagner said.
The decision also was made “out of respect for our local health care providers who are under increasing pressure due to the spike in cases,” he said.
Last year’s event was canceled because of the coronavirus. The last one held in February 2020 attracted 350 people to The Commons and grossed more than $109,000 for the museum. The event has attracted more than 60,000 visitors annually in normal circumstances.
Wagner said it would be unrealistic to reschedule the event in the next two or three months with other possible COVID variants that could appear. But he said his staff will work with event co-chairs Laura and Clint Garrett and Emilie and Steve Pinkston to select another date.
“We’re looking pretty far out because we want to make sure that we’re not having to reschedule again,” he said.
A fundraising goal would have to adjusted for the delay, he said.
“We’re not going to set goals based on previous numbers,” Wagner said.
Carnivale, which usually includes live music, represents the nonprofit museum’s biggest fundraiser.
