DENVER -- Summer is festival season in Colorado, but health concerns related to COVID-19 have already caused the cancellation of several large events.
Denver's annual Cino de Mayo celebration will not happen to help slow the spread of the virus. Earlier this week, organizers of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival announced their difficult decision to cancel the three-day-long event.
In just two weeks, thousands of people were supposed to fill the streets in Five Points for an annual jazz festival, but that event has been moved online.
"I really do hope that the community will love what we've been working on for last few weeks and know that we just really felt like the festival had to be part of our 2020 year which has been disrupted in so many ways," said Tina Cartagena, Senior Vice President of Radio for KUVO.
The festival is going virtual on Saturday, May 16, with a two-hour broadcast featuring local musicians. More information about where you can view the event is available here.
Cartagena said it is also important to highlight local businesses that are missing out on the boost that comes with a big event.
"This is a small way for us to get together and remind everybody about all the business that need our help right now, we hope to bring more awareness to Spangalang and Goed Zuur and the Welton Street Cafe, all of the businesses that we can say hey they're open for business," said Cartagena.
Spangalang Brewery's taproom is usually packed on the day of the festival, and they also produce all of the craft beer for the event.
"The Jazz Fest is huge for us. It's the biggest day of the year by far. We do nearly a month's worth of business in one day, so it's pretty catastrophic when you can't have it," said Darren Boyd, one of the owners of Spangalang Brewery.
Boyd knows he's not the only business owner who will be hurt by these cancellations. He said it's hard to know what the rest of the summer will look like, so he's just taking things day-by-day.
"With all these various events, somebody that was their big event of the year, some small business that was one of two or three days all year where they have tons of people at their front door and they can introduce themselves and put their best foot forward," said Boyd.
