Amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (DSDC) has canceled the Ham & Yam Festival for the second consecutive year.
The festival is traditionally held the first Saturday in May. According to Sarah Edwards, Executive Director of the DSDC, current restrictions on mass gatherings and the recommendations from the CDC, State, and the Johnston County Health Department made it difficult to safely plan an event the size of the Ham & Yam Festival.
The 2020 Festival was also canceled. The event usually draws approximately 20,000 visitors to Downtown Smithfield each year for country ham, sweet potato foods, entertainment, cook-offs, vendors and family activities.
Isn’t the Ham & Yam Festival an outdoor event? The CDC has already said that the risk outdoors is minimal, so why cancel an outdoor event? This state keeps getting crazier and crazier!! And I am a life-long resident of NC. And gov cooper needs to be shown the door so we can get on with our lives.
Agree!
But you can protest and destroy property for the left. You better OBEY your masters in the Biden administration!
Wait, you guys think Cooper and Biden chose to cancel Ham and Yam? Not the Smithfield Town Council or mayor?
The Town Council and Mayor are not responsible for the cancelation. The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (a separate entity from the Town) chose to cancel the festival.