Excelsior Cancels Fourth Of July Celebration At Lake Minnetonka
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Another summer pastime has been canceled in part due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The city of Excelsior says that there will be no Fourth of July celebration at Lake Minnetonka in 2020 -- adecision that was largely a financial one.
"We are all aware of the challenges we face in the COVID-19 environment. Many individuals and families continue to be affected by the virus. Our hearts go out to those who are sick, as well as caregivers and those mourning the loss of a loved one," Jen Weiss, community relations and membership director with the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce, said. "Our local business community, while doing an amazing job pivoting and embracing their entrepreneurial spirits, is still at a stand-still and those that are operating their efforts are largely focused on serving the public's essential needs."
This year would have been the 132nd for the holiday celebration. Organizers say it attracts about 100,000 visitors every year.
The Chamber of Commerce said that organizers hope to be able to bring the celebration back in 2021.
"This annual tradition is one that the entire Lake Minnetonka community looks forward to," Weiss said. "Our responsibility to the safety of our volunteers, visitors and the public at large is paramount and has always been our number one priority."
Here is an additional statement from the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce:
This annual tradition is one that the entire Lake Minnetonka community looks forward to. The Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce works hard throughout the entire year to fund the Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration through hosting events, working with sponsorships, and civic organizations and private individual donations. Revenue streams that normally support his event are non-existent due to the response of the pandemic.
In light of the pandemic, without our usual fundraising events that support the Fourth of July, many sponsorship budgets on hold, and limitations on gatherings of a certain size, the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber Board of Directors and Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration Committee made the difficult decision to cancel this year's 2020 Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration.