Board of directors cancels 2021 Troy Strawberry Festival

TROY — The board of directors has cancelled the Troy Strawberry Festival for 2021.

“While the Strawberry Festival did submit a plan which provided for the COVID-19 Safety Guidelines; and carried the support of the Miami County Health Department; the Board determined that the increased regulations would be cost prohibitive to the event and the nonprofit organizations that we serve,” a Facebook post stated Saturday.

Kathi Roetter, Troy Strawberry Festival’s manager told News Center 7′s Ronnell Hunt that after receiving the state’s summer fairs and festival guidelines, a plan was submitted to the Miami County Health Department.

“They were great. They did approve a plan, but the plan that was approved is with 50 percent less vendors than we typically have,” Roetter said.

Looking over the potential plan for this year, plus figuring in social distancing and mask mandates, Roetter said the planning committee made the decision to not go forward with the non-profit festival this year.

“Even if we had less vendors, we still had to provide trash and all of the other things in addition to the additional safety concerns of providing masks, hand sanitizer. It just wasn’t financially feasible,” Roetter said.

This may be the festival’s second consecutive year being cancelled due to the pandemic, but Roetter said they look forward to bringing the festival back in 2022.

“We will be back. People are questioning that, but there is not doubt in my mind that we will be back,” Roetter said.

Cox Media Group