The Villages will be reviving festivals at town squares in the era of COVID-19.
Last year as fears of the Coronavirus were beginning to ramp up in March, The Villages Entertainment Department abruptly pulled the plug on the St. Patrick’s Day festival at Lake Sumter Landing. The event was set to take place that afternoon and evening and vendors were setting up as the order came down that the event was being canceled. That day also marked the closing of the town squares due to COVID-19. The squares did not reopen until October.
The Villages Entertainment Department has unveiled the dates and locations of the following upcoming festivals:
• Mardi Gras Festival will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Feb. 16 at Spanish Springs Town Square. The event will include music, food and dancing.
• The Strawberry Festival will be held from 4 to 9 p.m. Feb. 26 at Brownwood Paddock Square.
• The St. Patrick’s Day Festival is scheduled to return to Lake Sumter Landing from 3 to 9 p.m. March 12. St. Patrick’s Day will also be celebrated from 3 to 9 p.m. March 17 at Spanish Springs Town Square.
COVID-19 cases are on the rise as the nationwide death toll has surpassed 400,000. Vaccine doses have been hard to come by in The Villages, especially after the abrupt departure of Global Medical Response. This is despite the vaccination site touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his promise in December that seniors would move to the front of the line.
Do you think it’s a good idea to revive festivals at the town squares? Share your thoughts at news@villages-news.com
