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Coronavirus: Summertime fireworks festival in Saskatoon pushed into winter

Nutrien Fireworks Festival organizers say they are postponing the two-day event until next year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Taya Grueter / Supplied

A traditional summertime staple in Saskatoon won’t be coming back until winter.

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Organizers of the 2020 Nutrien Fireworks Festival announced on Thursday the event is being postponed until Feb. 13-14, 2021. It was originally scheduled to take place on the Labour Day long weekend.

The postponement is an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus and keep local communities safe for the long term, according to a press release.

“We recognize many will be disappointed about the date change. However, based on current information and in consultation with our partners we believe this decision best supports our community’s discipline in controlling our exposure of COVID-19,” festival president Shad Ali said in a statement.

“We did not want to compromise our location on the riverbanks of the South Saskatchewan River.”

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The Family Day long weekend version of the festival next year is expected to include cultural and musical performances as well as outdoor and indoor activities.

Organizers said the event brings together nearly 65,000 people per year.

The next Nutrien Fireworks Festival to take place in the city will be the twelfth edition.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

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Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

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