The Provincetown Select Board voted last night to cancel all town-sponsored events and revoke permits for use of town property through the rest of 2020, including the annual Carnival and Pride parades and Fourth of July fireworks, due to social distancing precautions against the spread of COVID-19. Organizers may reapply for permits under new town guidelines for group gatherings and social distancing.
Back in April, organizers of both Bear and Family weeks canceled their events this year over social distancing concerns. Further clarification, including what this vote means for other plans (besides the canceled parades) for Provincetown Pride and Carnival weeks, and for other future events like Spooky Bear in October and Holly Folly in December, is expected to come over the coming weeks and months as the response to the pandemic develops.
“We continue to monitor and assess developments regularly, and are following the guidance of health experts,” Provincetown Business Guild executive director Robert Sanborn told the Cape Cod Times back in April.
“Currently the objective of our messaging is to be hopeful and to remind people of the magic of Provincetown so that they know we will be here to welcome them back, but for now to stay safe at home until we can be reunited,” Sanborn said.
“Summer isn’t canceled,” Provincetown Tourism Director Anthony Fuccillo told the Times. “It will be a different kind of summer, like the summers were 25 years ago, before there were so many events and theme weeks,” Fuccillo said.
“People will still come here for the beaches, for the environment, to go sailing, to visit all our great restaurants, spend time in our great shops, walk Commercial Street to enjoy the galleries, take in the sights and savor the food scene. It will be a different summer, and it will be amazing,” said Fuccillo.
Regarding the board’s vote last night, reports Wicked Local Provincetown:
The Select Board has voted to cancel all town-sponsored events and revoke previously approved town facilities applications and parade permits for the rest of the year due to the ongoing threat of coronavirus.
“I don’t think at this point it’s realistic that we’re going to be able to have large gatherings, even in the fall,” board member Lise King said during the board’s May 11 meeting via conference call.
The motion, approved unanimously by the board, effectively canceled events such as the 4th of July fireworks as well as revoked parade permits for Pride and Carnival. It also allows those events and groups to reapply for permits under the new town guidelines for group gatherings and social distancing.
The board voted to place the mandate until the end of the year, as recommended by Town Manager Robin Craver, after discussing the possibility of only canceling through the end of the summer. They opted to extend it for all of 2020 to allow events to plan ahead with vendors and tourists to adjust their vacation plans.
Read the full Wicked Local Provincetown story.
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