BENTONVILLE -- Downtown Bentonville Inc.'s First Friday event that had been scheduled for this week has been canceled in light of sharp increases in covid-19 cases across Northwest Arkansas, the organization announced Tuesday.
The back-to-school-themed event was organized as a partnership with Bentonville Schools to celebrate the School District's 150th anniversary, according to a news release posted on Downtown Bentonville's website.
"This hard decision was made in the best interest of public health and after recommendations from top Northwest Arkansas medical professionals. Our event could potentially draw hundreds of young, school-aged children and their families to booths with hands-on activities," said Kirk Gober, Executive Board president of Downtown Bentonville Inc. "It breaks our heart to cancel a First Friday, but it's the right thing to do to keep our community safe and not create additional strain for our regional health system."
A planned covid-19 vaccine clinic will still be available to walk-ins from 4-8 p.m. Friday at 105 S. Main Street. No identification, insurance cards or reservations are required to receive the vaccine, according to the release.
Bentonville Farmers Market and Art Market will be restricted to only local farmers, growers, artisans and makers, and additional interactions will be limited temporarily. The market footprint will continue to offer additional space between vendor booths to accommodate social distancing and safe shopping. Face masks and hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the event. Attendees are encouraged to wear face coverings, according to the release.
Downtown Bentonville has no current plans to cancel other downtown events, according to the release.