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COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Each year thousands of people come to the Holiday Lighting Celebration in downtown Coeur d’Alene to kick off the holiday season. Unfortunately, it won’t be one of those years.
As the Coeur d’Alene Resort has canceled the event due to COVID-19. Many in the region compare this event to the July 4th celebrations and some say it is one of the biggest events of the year.
Friday afternoon, you couldn’t guess that something was different in the city center, apart from the masks worn by the majority of people. Make no mistake, the holiday light show is a must-see in the Coeur d’Alene community.
“It usually peaks with a few thousand people, quite frankly, starting to gather around 3:30 pm to 4 pm as night falls, usually filling most restaurants,” said Blair Williams, owner of the Art Spirit Gallery.
Although the event was canceled, along with the Travolta Christmas show and fireworks show, the resort still turned on the lights on Friday night. Journey to the North Pole cruises will also continue this year, but with several precautions in place. However, not having the celebration is a disappointment for some lifelong residents.
RELATED: Coeur d’Alene Resort Cancels 2020 Holiday Light Ceremony, Reworks Events Due to COVID-19
“We have, like, lines of people – honestly [it’s] like a July 4th parade, but like, in December when it’s cold. It’s been great, honestly there’s no reason to cancel it; people are on the go anyway, and it’s Black Friday and it’s busy, ”said Phillip Beggs.
While a COVID-19 vaccine may soon arrive for some and lead to a semblance of normalcy, some people believe that if they can just stop in the short term, it will be good for everyone.
“We’re seeing an almost 70% drop in our foot traffic and it’s sad, but understandable,” Williams said.
A few store owners said that not having the event would not affect them too much. The next day is Small Business Saturday, which is the biggest day of the year for many local stores. These are the restaurants that will hurt the most, as many people usually go out and eat after the celebration every year.
RELATED: Main Avenue Businesses Look To ‘Small Business Saturday’ To Boost Their Revenue
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