Event will replace ChocolateFest on Memorial Day weekend
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Burlington’s ChocolateFest, like most other events last year, became a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulted in organizers canceling the annual festival.
Since then, some of the ChocolateFest organizers decided to start something different. That event is the Burlington Jamboree scheduled for Memorial Day weekend from May 27-31.
The new festival received a permit from the Common Council on April 7 to host the event at the former ChocolateFest grounds along Maryland Avenue. The Burlington Jamboree revives the name of a former Independence Day holiday festival that began in 1936 and lasted until 1985.
Bil Scherrer, ChocolateFest President, said the group of organizers took several factors into consideration when transitioning away from what had been the city’s signature festival since 1987.
In addition to COVID-19, the former ChocolateFest group faced ongoing expenses with no incoming revenue, loss of chocolate vendors and key volunteer committee members as well as the absence of chocolate-relevant entities in the city.
The City of Burlington, meanwhile, is undergoing a rebranding effort, moving away from Chocolate City, USA to City of Trails.
“With the city rebranding, maybe it is time for us to rebrand and rebuild,” Scherrer told the Common Council. “This might just be a basic year where we are providing a carnival and some activities.”
Scherrer, one of a handful of volunteer holdovers from ChocolateFest, said North American Midway Entertainment reaffirmed its commitment to the city and will continue handling rides, games and food concessions at the new festival.
The carnival company, according to organizers, will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines during the event.
Scherrer, who has kept in contact with the carnival company, told the Common Council North American Midway Entertainment previously participated in large-scale events elsewhere amid the COVID-19 pandemic and did not report any coronavirus outbreaks.
“They spray the rides down at night…all of the staff wear masks, they have hand sanitizer,” Scherrer said. “They are following guidelines.”
The Burlington Jamboree, which revives a festival name from the city’s past, will feature free admission and likely offer live entertainment on Saturday evening as well as a beer tent operated by the Burlington Lions Club.
Scherrer further added he hopes the Burlington Jamboree can become a bright spot amid the challenging and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, the new event, he said, looks to restart momentum for the city as one of the first festivals out of the gate for the summer season.
“The reason we are doing (this) is we want to keep some momentum going and give (people) something to attend.”
Safety, health concerns
As for the COVID-19 pandemic, Theresa Meyer, of District 1, asked if organizers and city staff reached out to the Central Racine County Health Department for guidance on the Burlington Jamboree.
Diahnn Halbach, City Clerk, said the CRCHD reiterated its recommendation to avoid large crowds, but did not go further at the April 7 meeting.
To read the entire story, see the April 15 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
-
-
-
-
-