Briggie Days has once again been hit by COVID-19.
Organizers of the Hope Brigade Days have confirmed they will not be able to hold the event this September. It is the largest and longest-running event in town, having had a 51-year streak before last year’s cancellation.
Peter Adamo said there is just no way the large event could be pulled off safely. But, he added, they have not thrown in the towel. Since Brigade Days is made up of so many different events, it is possible some of them could move ahead.
They are looking at three different possible events at the moment. The first is to create a version of a parade that would make its way through the main core of Hope.
“That would be a community parade of some type, not the parade that Hope is known for but an inner city route where people can stay in their own yards,” Adamo said.
They are also staying hopeful that Hope Motorsports could put on some sort of small event, which is another big part of the popular weekend.
Finally, they are looking at creating a streaming event, where they can host a live concert.
“We could bring in a couple of bands and a small production crew,” he said. “It would be a very controlled environment. We could stream it to all of our Hope Brigade members.”
Keeping some form of Brigade Days is important to the volunteer team. They normally work through the year to make the weekend happen.
“It’s really quite simply the marquee event for the entire district and beyond,” Adamo said, with families normally gathering and reuniting, and coming in from all points to celebrate. It’s also a chance for the sponsors and their employees to pitch in and take part, which is often a great morale booster for work teams.
Anyone wanting to help out this year and in the coming years is asked to connect with the volunteer team through their Facebook page, Hope Brigade Days.
READ MORE: Hope’s Brigade Days cancelled for first time in history
@CHWKcommunity
jpeters@theprogress.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Want to support local journalism during the pandemic? Make a donation here.