For the second consecutive year, Carnegie Hall has canceled the Taste of Our Towns (TOOT) food and music festival in downtown Lewisburg in October because of the spread of Covid-19.
“After thoughtful consideration, and discussions with Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, Greenbrier County Health Department, Greenbrier Valley CVB, Lewisburg Downtown Business Association, and others, Carnegie Hall has determined that it will not be possible to safely hold” the festival, Carnegie management wrote in a press release on Wednesday.
The annual event, which is one of Carnegie Hall’s largest fundraisers, has taken place annually on the second Saturday in October since 1984.
Each year, TOOT featured food tastings from a wide array of restaurants and nonprofit organizations, entertainment in three locations downtown, cultural exhibits, and more.
The Board of Directors, volunteers and staff at Carnegie Hall plan to bring the event back in October 2022.
Cancelation of the event for the second year in a row is a blow to both Carnegie Hall and all of the vendors and nonprofit organizations who rely on TOOT to raise funds.
During the discussion of whether or not to move forward with plans for the 37th annual Taste of our Towns, CEO Cathy Rennard was asked what the financial implication would be if cancellation is deemed necessary. She responded, “I don’t see this as a financial decision so much as a community health and wellbeing decision.
“Of course, we will have to be creative in our efforts to replace the lost income but the Carnegie board, staff and TOOT committee is confident that cancellation is the right course of action,” Rennard said.
Carnegie Hall is a nonprofit organization supported by individual contributions, grants, and fundraising efforts such as TOOT and its annual gala.
