(from Downtown Roanoke Inc.) Amid heightened concerns of community spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the State of Emergency issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Downtown Roanoke, Inc. (DRI) and our Board of Directors is announcing the cancellation of the 2020 Freedom First St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Shamrock Festival. This announcement comes after discussions with City of Roanoke administration and emergency services. We feel the only path forward is to follow their recommendation and cancel our portion of Saturday’s event.
We understand the disappointment from our businesses, community, and those who planned to travel here. We share in that disappointment not just for our organization and all the people who love this event but especially for our local businesses that may be impacted by this. We encourage everyone to support local businesses always, now more so than ever.
