COVID restrictions could change Fairhope events

Tree lighting and Veterans Day and Christmas parades affected

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FAIRHOPE – COVID-19 precautions will mean changes for upcoming Fairhope events, but officials said they want to continue as many of the annual celebrations as possible.

The Lighting of the Trees is scheduled to continue, but with some changes.

City officials are still working to see if the Veterans Day parade can be held in November, however.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s current Safer at Home order, which restricts large gatherings, is scheduled to expire on Nov. 8. That would leave little time for planning Christmas events, such as the tree lighting or Christmas parade, Jessica Walker, Fairhope community development director, said.

“We don’t want to cancel Christmas,” Walker told the City Council on Monday, Oct. 12. “Let’s just be honest. I’m not a Scrooge. But we do want to make sure that we don’t get sideways with the state government because they do have an order in place. Again, we don’t know how long that’s going to last.”

Council members did not vote on plans for events at the meeting, but said they thought the proposal described by Walker would work for the Lighting of the Trees. Officials later announced that the event will be held Nov. 19.

“We want to hold that traditional Thursday date, but instead of having everybody come down and be in a great big mass of people, what we’re asking to do is close streets at 5 p.m. to allow for pedestrian traffic only,” Walker said. “We can turn on the lights. People can keep their distance. They can wear their masks. They can spread out and have a little bit more of a different experience than what they normally do. This would include no stage, no program, but we would be able to add in this. We would be able to keep the snow. We would be able to add in photo opportunities with different characters like Mrs. Claus and what we would like to do is purchase a brand new Christmas tree for that clock corner so we really can utilize that as the center of town now that that is our property.”

Walker said that if the Safer at Home order is extended, the city may not be able to hold the Christmas Parade.

“We really don’t have a recommendation right now for the Christmas Parade,” she said. “If the order were to hold, I would say that we are not in any position to be able to hold that Christmas Parade. We’ve all seen the crowds. We know how many people are there.”

Council members said they would wait and see what Ivey orders before making a final decision on the Christmas parade.

“I would think that we should plan as if we’re having a Christmas parade and then change afterwards or change as we get closer,” Councilman Jay Robinson said. “I know that there’s a lot of work that goes into it and I don’t want anybody spinning their wheels when it’s something that we know may not happen, but I would sure hate to see it not happen.”

Uncertainty over the Safer at Home order will also affect planning for the Fairhope Veterans Day parade. The parade is held the weekend before the Nov. 11 holiday. If the order is extended, the event could not take place. If the order is rescinded a few days before the parade, participants would not have time to organize the event, Walker said.

The age of many participants is also a factor. Older veterans would be in the age group that is most vulnerable to COVID-19, she said.

Council President Jack Burrell said the city faces “a tough call.”

“As for the Veterans Day parade. I really hate canceling that, but we’re probably under orders that we could not have that,” Burrell said. “As far as older veterans that might normally participate, I would say that that’s their choice, but I think that they might want to attend as opposed to not wanting to attend. What’s really concerning for me is the veterans that it might be their last Veterans Day Parade, so cancel something like that, so I have a hard time saying cancel it, but I don’t think it’s a good option necessarily to have it either.”

Council members directed Walker to contact groups the have taken part in past parades and ask if they would be in the event this year. They told her to report back at the Oct. 26 meeting and the council would make a final decision on the event.

Walker said the city is also looking at making the annual Movie in the Streets viewing a virtual event. The event is a joint effort with the Fairhope Downtown Business Association.

“Residents can come pick up their goodie bags that includes ‘The Polar Express’ movie in it, some popcorn and hot chocolate so that everyone can kind of watch it together,” Walker said.

Robinson said all plans for upcoming events will depend on a number of factors, including state orders and the spread of COVID-19.

“I think everybody right now understands that anything that’s scheduled is tentative, whether that be the Christmas parade or any other social function that currently exists,” Robinson said. “That everything that is scheduled is subject to change.”