Editorial: Strawberry Fest, Sumpter Fest canceled for 2021

Sumpter Township Country Fest, annually held over the Memorial Day weekend at the end of May, has been canceled this year. It was canceled last year, as well. COVID-19.
Last week, the Belleville National Strawberry Festival was canceled for 2021. It was canceled last year, as well. COVID-19. It usually is held on Father’s Day weekend, which is June 19 and 20 this year.
On Tuesday, the Belleville City Council was scheduled to hear the most-recent activities being planned for a completely new festival, Belleville Lake Fest, planned for June 25, 26, and 27.
The city has already approved the concept of the new festival because it had many complaints about the old Strawberry Festival that had grown to be mostly a carnival, craft show with commercial vendors shutting off Main Street, and downtown businesses, for a week end.
The big complaint was that a handful of people made all the money from the festival.
The newly organized festival – that seems to be growing every week — is aimed at helping local, non-profit groups earn money, to celebrate small-town life, and to make good use of Belleville Lake.
We can hope that COVID rules will have gone away, or substantially diminished, by June so that this area’s newest festival can go on as planned.