The 2020 McCleary Bear Festival has been cancelled, for now.

In an announcement from the local festival they say that the McCleary Bear Festival Committee has made the decision to cancel the 2020 festival scheduled for July 10-12 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

They say that “These unprecedented times” are causing difficulties with various factors involved with planning for the event and the uncertainty of current bans on mass gathering.

According to the announcement, the committee does not take the cancellation lightly and they recognize the effect that it may take on the City and community.

They also state that they are working to plan a modified 61st Annual Bear Festival when risks of coronavirus are minimized, with a date to be determined. This modified event is planned to move away from the 3-day event and into a single day.

“While the committee realized it will not be the same, we hope this smaller version of Bear Festival will help us all stay connected throughout this intermission to celebrate our history and the people who make McCleary home.”

The Bear Festival has run since 1959.