Festival in the Park is announcing the cancellation of the 2020 Festival, which had been scheduled for September 25 – 27 at Freedom Park in Dilworth.
The decision was made by the Festival’s Board of Directors following several months of conversations with participating artists and event partners. This will be only the second cancellation since the Festival’s founding in 1964. Renovations in Freedom Park resulted in the 1994 cancellation.
“While we regret the circumstances, we believe this is the best decision as our community continues to navigate an unprecedented health crisis”, said Mark Boone, president of the Festival’s board of directors. “We look forward to inviting everyone back to Freedom Park for Charlotte’s long-standing community celebration of visual and performing artists in September 2021.”
A tradition for more than a half-century, Festival in the Park typically features more than 175 visual artists, musical performances on several stages, amusement rides and food vendors. More than 125,000 people attend the three-day festival.
Private donors, known as “Friends of the Festival”, help cover the Festival’s cost of renting Freedom Park from Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation and the hiring of off-duty Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers, Medics and Charlotte firefighters to keep patrons safe.
Named one of the nation’s top festivals by Sunshine Artist Magazine, the Festival boasts an outdoor open-air amphitheater unrivaled in the area. The Festival has also been honored as Best Charlotte Festival by Charlotte Magazine.
This project is made possible, in part, with funding from the Arts & Science Council; the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources; and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
Festival in the Park is hosted by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation.
For more information on acts and activities, visit the website at www.FESTIVALinthePARK.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Julie Whitney Austin, Executive Director
704-338-1060
[email protected]
Mark Boone, Board President
704-589-1545
[email protected]