The Lakes District Fall Fair, which would’ve taken place Sept. 7-9, has been cancelled due to the wildfires in the Burns Lake area.
Fall fair vice-president Naida Hazelton said it was a unanimous decision to cancel the event.
“We feel that the the fairgrounds are better served by opening it up to those people that are in need of a safe place to house their animals,” she said.
A fall fair association statement said the current displacement of residents from their homes, disruptions to normal routines and uncertainty about the extent and duration of the current wildfires make it impossible for their members to concentrate their energy on the event.
“The Fall Fair Association believes the same factors would make potential exhibitors, performers, volunteers and patrons unable to participate in the fair the first week in September.”
Fall fair president Joan McFee said she wanted to express concern for all residents impacted by the fires.
“I have witnessed many folks pulling together, helping each other in many different ways,” she said.
“It is difficult to think beyond this tragedy; when folks can come forward and give a helping hand in any way, it makes them feel much better and it builds a much stronger community,” she said.
Also being cancelled this year is the Ootsa Lake Fishing Derby, held by the Tweedsmuir Recreation Commission.
The annual event would’ve been held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.
According to Stacey Hainstock with the Tweedsmuir Recreation Commission, organizers put off making this decision as long as they could.