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Because of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Winchester Labor Committee announced this week it decided to cancel this year’s Labor Day celebration.
Committee President Ann Carter said the decision was made at a meeting earlier this week after months of following the outbreak of the potentially deadly virus and out of an abundance of caution.
“We are incredibly sad that we have to cancel,” Carter said. “But we don’t want anyone to get sick. We just believe there is no way to practice social distancing with a celebration, and we would feel so bad if someone came to our celebration and ended up getting sick.”
These are uncertain times, so the committee had to make a tough decision, Carter said.
“In this day and time, we just don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
The annual Winchester Labor Day celebration is one of Clark County’s oldest traditions, dating back to 1904. The weekend-long festivities usually include family fun, vendors, gospel music, other live entertainment and a parade.
The annual parade hosted on Labor Day features Kentucky State University’s marching band each year and is the longest running parade in the state.
Carter said other states that have opened up and allowed gatherings are starting to see spikes in cases of the coronavirus, and she wouldn’t want that to happen in Winchester, where the community has been incredibly supportive of the annual celebration for so many years.
Carter said her committee hopes to be back with a celebration in 2021.
“It is our prayer that by then they will know more about this virus and how to prevent it and protect people and we will be able to celebrate with our community again,” she said. “We’ve had some great times together and we’re going to miss everyone this year.”