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The board of directors for the 2020 Big Island Rendezvous & Festival announced Monday the festival will be canceled this fall.

“We do not want to put any community person in danger as well as all the vendors, participants, teachers and children,” said Perry Vining, founder and coordinator of the event. “The thousands of people that attend every year are the primary concern of the organization.”

The event is typically the first weekend in October and begins with two education days where students from the region come to learn about history. The weekend is typically open to the public. 

The Big Island BBQ, which is typically held in August at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds will also be canceled this year as all events are also canceled at the fairgrounds this summer due to concerns about COVID-19.

Vining said people can anticipate both events next year better and stronger than before and encouraged people to support them then.

The Rendezvous, the Midwest’s largest historical re-enactment of early America, typically features about 1,200 re-enactors representing the lifestyle of the late 1600s to 1880s.

This would have been the 34th year for the festival.