California could lift most statewide COVID-19 restrictions by June 15 if vaccine supply is sufficient and hospitalizations are low, California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
The Artichoke Festival Committee knows that graduating beyond California’s “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” is also contingent on Monterey County public health indicators, with a mask mandate and other “common-sense health measures” more than likely in place beyond June 15.
With the unsettled nature of outdoor events still hanging in the balance as of this posting, we are working on some exciting ways to mitigate the 2020 loses for the Artichoke Festival organization and the non-profit community that depended on us. Along with a safer outdoors-only Artichoke Festival in the summer, additional fundraising events are being planned for the remainder of 2021, with dates and details to be announced very soon! Hint: Haunted House fans will be pleased!
Unfortunately, our 5K Beach Run will be postponed until we feel it is safe to hold an outdoor fun run again. This was a hard decision to make, as the Springtime event in 2019 was a big success for us, and lots of fans were asking about a reprise. The Committee didn’t feel that converting to a virtual event would be nearly as fun and unique as running on the beach toward Monterey, so we’re looking forward to the spring of 2022 as the destination for our 2nd Annual 5K Beach Run.
“We are seeing bright light at the end of the tunnel,” Gov. Newsom said at a press conference. “And on June 15, all things being equal and we continue that good work, we’ll have moved beyond that blueprint and we’ll be opening up this economy as business as usual.”
The Artichoke Festival is crossing it’s artichoke heart and hoping that an opened economy will mean a GRAND opening for festivals and events of all sizes and types by summer! Stay tuned as we continue our good work to make it happen!
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