PrairieFest Canceled As Carnivals Don't Meet Phase 4 Guidelines

OSWEGO, IL — The Oswegoland Park District announced in a release Tuesday that PrairieFest will no longer be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The popular community festival was supposed to be held June 18-21 at PrairieFest Park in Oswego, but park officials said in April that it would be postponed until Labor Day weekend in September.

In a social media post, organizers said carnivals and general admission concerts "don’t meet the guidelines for Phase 4" of the Restore Illinois re-opening plan set to begin Friday.

"Without these entertainment anchors of our festival, we cannot satisfy either the community’s expectations or the expenses to host PrairieFest," said Kristi Vest, superintendent of events and cultural arts for the park district, in the release. "While we are thankful for the continued health status of our state, it is for that health that we need to suspend planning of this year’s festival."

Presented by the Oswegoland Park District and the First National Bank of Omaha, the fest combines small town charm with a stirring summer celebration.

Vest said that park district officials could have made a final decision on whether to hold the festival earlier.

"I suppose we could have made this decision May 5, but officially we weren’t sure how the timeline would play out. Unofficially, we wanted so very badly to pull off our favorite weekend of the year, that we held off," she said

She added that the purpose of the Oswegoland Park District is to "create opportunities for a healthy community," and "if that means allowing each of you the opportunity to stay well, we will remain your community servants and come to the office today planning for June 17-20, 2021."

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