2020 APPLE 'N PORK FESTIVAL - Cancelled

APPLE 'N PORK FESTIVAL

CANCELLATION NOTICE APPLE 'N PORK FESTIVAL CANCELLATION NOTICE On July 10th, the DeWitt County Museum Association Board of Directors officially announced that due to the potential risks posed by the current Covid-19 pandemic, the 52nd Annual Apple 'n Pork Festival is cancelled. Held annually the last full weekend of September, this fall festival was established in 1967 by the DeWitt County Museum Association to provide the funds necessary to restore, maintain, and operate the C.H. Moore Homestead DeWitt County Museum. The Apple 'n Pork Festival was officially trademarked by the DeWitt County Museum Association in 2018. While originally serving as a means to generate funds for the DeWitt County Museum Association, the festival has grown and evolved to include numerous local non-profit organizations that serve DeWitt County and rely heavily on the event to carry out their own mission statements as well. After a great deal of consideration of the circumstances and ramifications, as well as taking into account a notice written by the DeWitt-Piatt Bi-County Health Department's Environmental Health Coordinator & Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Michael Schroeder, and directed to those who organize and promote the festival, the DeWitt County Museum Association Board of Directors determined there is no viable option other than cancellation. DeWitt County Museum Association President, Daniel Hauffee, stated "Orders issued at the state level as well as the local level will be adhered to. Thus, the festival, which draws an average of 80,000 attendees from DeWitt County, across the state of Illinois, as well as the country, and involves the volunteer labor of hundreds of local residents, would pose an elevated risk to those visitors, volunteers and vendors in attendance as well as our home community." Joey Long, C.H. Moore Homestead DeWitt County Museum Director, stated, "We sincerely regret the cancellation; however, the current circumstances require us to take this precautionary measure. We truly value our DCMA members, volunteers, and all others who attend and participate in the festival, and our community, therefore I certainly stand by the decision made by the board of directors. We will all be looking forward to the 2021 Apple 'n Pork Festival." She added, "At this time, perhaps we can take some inspiration from the words of C.H. Moore's friend, Abraham Lincoln  'Let us all confidently hope that all will be well'."