The city of Lewisville has canceled all in-person events for its annual Western Days festival and Rocktober concert series, due in large part to COVID-19 concerns.
Lewisville City Council unanimously voted to cancel the events at Monday night’s meeting, citing the safety and well-being of staff, vendors, entertainers and visitors, according to a news release from the city. Council was presented numerous safety precautions and money-saving options that might have preserved the events, but Council worried the gatherings might create health and safety risks even with these measures in place.
The decision to cancel the events was impacted by Gov. Greg Abbott’s most recent executive order that prohibits outdoor gatherings in excess of 10 people, unless approved by the mayor. Council also noted one big challenge is not knowing what will happen with the Governor’s order between now and Sept. 25, when Western Days was scheduled to begin.
Council has asked the special events team to bring back a proposal for a digital Western Days celebration this year. Western Days has roots dating back to 1965 and is considered Lewisville’s signature event. The two-day festival regularly draws more than 25,000 visitors.
City staff recommended the cancellation of the Rocktober concert series, originally scheduled on Tuesday nights in October, if Western Days was canceled because it’s unlikely health conditions will have improved greatly between the two scheduled events. The special events team is expected to present a plan for a digital Western Days and Rocktober concert series to Council later this summer.
City staff is now reviewing all possible options for Old Town Holiday Stroll, scheduled for Dec. 5, in Old Town Lewisville.
