MC Week played role in decision to cancel Crafts Festival

MEREDITH — The annual Arts and Crafts Festival which normally occurs at the end of August was canceled this year in part because it would have conflicted with the rescheduled Laconia Motorcycle Week.

Because Main Street is closed to motor vehicles during the two-day event organizers felt that coupled with an influx of motorcyclists would result in huge traffic jams on busy Route 3 one block away, Sandy Marshall, executive director of the Meredith Chamber of Commerce, said Wednesday.

“With Bike Week taking place at the same time we felt it wasn’t fair to downtown businesses,” Marshall explained. She added that concerns surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic also figured into the decision to cancel the event which had been scheduled for Aug. 29 and 30.

An article in Wednesday’s Daily Sun incorrectly reported the festival would provide an additional activity for visiting motorcycle enthusiasts in light of the city of Laconia’s decision to ban vendors from setting up in Weirs Beach during Motorcycle Week.

Motorcycle Week was postponed from its traditional mid-June dates to Aug. 22 to 30 because of COVID-19 fears.

The Laconia City Council voted on Monday to let the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association proceed with the event in August, but in a much scaled back fashion in hopes that those attending will practice social distancing as recommended by health officials.