“The News”, James Jennings

There will be no Fall Festival in Kalona this year.  Organizers announced this week the cancellation of the 2020 Fall Festival due to COVID-19 concerns.  Nancy Roth, director of the Kalona Historical Village, and Nyle Kauffman, president of the Iowa Mennonite Museum Board, released a joint statement announcing the cancellation.

“With a lot of thought and a heavy heart the Kalona Historical Society and Kalona Mennonite Society have decided to cancel this year’s 2020 annual Fall Festival,” they said in their statement. “We always want to give our customers the best Fall Festival we can, but this year was going to have too many barriers to make it successful.  We also are looking out for the well-being of our staff, volunteers, vendors and guests.”

Fall Festival was scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26.  Last year, Fall Festival drew 5,000-6,000 visitors, as well as approximately 60 food and craft vendors, to the grounds of the Kalona Historical Village.

Organizers are already looking forward to next year’s Fall Festival, which will be a special one.

“Our 50th anniversary is Sept. 24 and 25, 2021, so mark your calendar now and help us celebrate,” Roth and Kauffman’s statement read. “Make sure you keep checking in on our web-site www.kalonaiowa.org for future events.”