Fun Fest hits pause on this year’s festival

Published 4:57 pm Thursday, April 30, 2020

KINGSPORT— Fun Fest organizers announced Thursday evening that this year’s festival has been canceled due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 (coronavirus).

In 1981, the first Fun Fest was held with the goal of bringing the community together.

For 39 years, this popular festival has helped make countless memories for generations of families in our area and was highlighted to be a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 July event again this summer.

“We really hoped the summer of 2020 would be a time to get back together, renew our friendships, enjoy outdoor concerts and activities with our friends and neighbors,” said Andy Wampler, 2020 Fun Fest chair and an attorney with Ballad Health and Wilson Worley. “As always, the health and safety of our attendees is of uppermost importance in planning our festival. Because of the risks of gathering in large groups at this time, we have made the difficult yet necessary decision to cancel Fun Fest for this year.”

“With businesses focusing on getting people back to work, we are taking a break this year,” said Lucy Fleming, Fun Fest director. “We believe it is in the public interest to step back this year to take a break from large gatherings. We have every intention of returning in July 2021 for our 40th festival.”

“This spring, COVID-19 has kept us home, canceled many memory making occasions— from sports, proms and graduations to weddings” said Jud Teague, Executive Director of Visit Kingsport, “and now Fun Fest is joining that list.”

Fun Fest is a program of the Kingsport Chamber under the guidance of Visit Kingsport. For more information on Fun Fest, go to FunFest.net.