“We’re full steam ahead,” Administrative Coordinator for the Bracebridge Business Improvement Area (BIA) Tracy Larkman says.
The event is scheduled for January 29th, 2022.
Larkman says last Thursday’s announcement by the provincial governement gave them the room they needed to push forward with the event. The hope is to host as many of the activities they would promote during a normal year.
“There will be some adjustments,” she goes on to say. Larkman adds the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit will have the final say on what restrictions will be put in place. “From what we understand from the rules and regulations with the health unit, we’re going to be able to pretty well return most of the activities to the street,” Larkman says.
Whether people will have to wear a facial covering, show proof of vaccination, or if other restrictions will be put in place is unknown as of now. “We’ll be discussing this as we go forward to determine what is best for our festival,” she says, adding masking might be a possibility considering how many people will be downtown and how close they will be. “We want to be cautious,” she goes on to say. “We want everybody to be safe.”
With everything coming together so quickly, Larkman says the team at the BIA is working the phones to make sure everything will be in place in time. “We have a very enthusiastic community that we know will jump on board and help us out,” she says. So far, Larkman has gotten “nothing but positive vibes.”
Still to be worked out is how tickets will be sold: online or in-person. Larkman says COVID-19 restrictions will dictate how that’s handled.
“We’re just happy to bring it back to Bracebridge,” Larkman says. The 2020 edition of the festival was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.