VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Organizers of an annual festival on the Virginia coast have announced that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the three-day event scheduled for September has been canceled.
An announcement on its web page said the Neptune Festival Boardwalk weekend, set for Sept. 25-27, was canceled for the first time in its 47-year history.
Festival president and CEO Nancy Creech said that after discussion with staff and the board, it was decided it couldn't proceed with a festival of this magnitude.
“After much discussion with our staff and leveraging the collective wisdom of our board, we have decided we cannot, in good conscience, proceed with a festival of Neptune’s magnitude during this time. With great reluctance, we have come to the only conclusion we feel is available to us, to skip our 2020 celebrations,” said Creech.
Creech said festival will focus on plans for 2021.
