“It is with a great deal of sadness and disappointment that the Newtown Cultural Arts Commission announces that the 2020 Newtown Arts Festival has been canceled,” Laura E. Lerman, chairman of commission, has announced.

Set for September 26-27 on the grounds of Fairfield Hills, this would have been the festival’s ninth year. Barbara Snyder was chairman of the event.

The festival routinely attracts upwards of 5,000 attendees.

“It was the health of these 5,000 people, plus our volunteers, performers, and artisans that weighed on us when we canceled the event,” Lerman said. “The situation is in flux,” she continued. “But an event this large takes months to create and we had no idea what the effects of the pandemic would be at the end of September.”

In the past, the event showcased not only the best of the local arts, music, dance, art, and photography, but also gave artisans, who came from all over the country, a chance to sell their work. In addition, there were free workshops so every attendee had a chance to add their creativity to the event in both the visual and performing arts.

Proceeds of the annual event fund the scholarships and the grants the commission awards. Eligibility is restricted to residents of Newtown who are high school graduating seniors and to organizations who are enhancing the arts in the Newtown community.

“We start with the nine members of the commission plus our auxiliary members,” Lerman noted. “By the end we have more than 100 volunteers. It really is a joyous two days.

“Now we will start work on the 2021 festival,” she stated.