Harvest festival canceled, Princess Pageant uncertain

On June 23 the Milton Harvest Festival Board announced the cancelation of the 2020 Harvest Festival and Princess Pageant were canceled due to the pandemic.  

Harvest Festival Committee Chair Ms. Susie Rearick said this would have been the 44^th year for the Festival and Pageant.  

The last time the Harvest Festival was canceled was in 2004 due to a flood, she added.  

Ms. Rearick said if someone were to get sick, the Harvest Festival’s insurance would not cover them. “As many older people… come to the Harvest Festival, I didn’t want anybody to get sick,” she added. 

“Next year we will get bigger and better,” she added. 

Sixteen senior girls were signed up to participate in the Princess Pageant this year, said Committee Chair Ms. Amanda Craig. 

The pageant committee has considered alternate options for Princess Pageant, said Ms. Craig. One of the alternatives was an in-person pageant with only the necessary people present and a livestream for people to watch, but added that they were unable to find a space large enough to stay safe and hold that many people. 

Ms. Craig said the last time the Princess Pageant was canceled was in 2011 due to a flood; no alternate options were given to those contestants. 

“It doesn’t feel like fall unless we have the Harvest Festival,” said Ms. Craig. The Pageant Committee has discussed the possibility of allowing Class of 2021 members to participate in the 2021 Princess Pageant, Ms. Craig added. That decision will not be made until closer to May or June, she added, and will depend on how things are going with the pandemic. 

Senior Caitlyn Johnson said she is upset about the cancelation.  

She added participation in the event teaches contestants how to prepare a speech and present it publicly. Caitlyn said she will miss out on the experience and memories the most.  

“It’s a tradition we all looked forward to doing as seniors. We have already gotten a lot taken from us already because of the virus,” said Caitlyn.  

When a decision about next year’s pageant is made, Ms. Craig said it will be announced on the Harvest Festival Facebook page, and they will send out emails to the contestants.