LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The city of Lexington announced Wednesday morning that both the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Shamrock Shuffle will be canceled amid fears of the novel coronavirus.
The parade's sponsor, the Bluegrass Irish Society, and the sponsor of the accompanying 3K, Lexington Habitat for Humanity, said the decision was made out of consideration for the public's health.
"The Bluegrass Irish Society Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Lexington St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival on Saturday, March 14," the group said in a statement. "This decision is not made lightly, but with an over-abundance of caution for community members in Lexington and Central Kentucky who join us downtown each year.
"We understand the best way to prevent any new cases of COVID-19 is to avoid exposure and we are taking this proactive step to keep our city and surrounding counties healthy. While the risk to most individuals remains low, there are portions of our community who, according to both CDC and Kentucky Public Health guidelines, are being advised to limit participation in public gatherings and avoid crowds. We do not want to hold an event when a number of our patrons are being asked to stay away.
"Parade units, vendors and entertainers will receive additional information from organizers this week. It is our sincere hope to return to Main Street in Lexington on March 13, 2021 with our best event yet," reads a statement from the group."
There are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Fayette County among eight total across the state.
