LEWISTOWN — If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you could head to Lewistown for the annual Chokecherry Festival.
While the festival could be a huge boost for businesses, excitement was not the only some business owners were feeling Friday.
Inside Country Junction, there was a quiet anticipation. “We’re excited the festival is still going on. We are nervous about many people coming into town and possibly bringing the virus,” said owner Kim Schale.
The annual festival typically draws in around 5,000 people. Concerning as that may be, Schale believes organizers have done everything they can to prepare.
“They have done a great job trying to locate sanitizing stations and having food vendors in various places and having some masks available if people don’t have any,” Schale said.
Joan Thomas, the owner of the antique store next to Country Junction, shares Schale’s feeling of both excitement and nervousness: “I just don’t really know if I’m supposed to limit the number of people that come in or use the bathroom, things like that."
She also agrees the town is prepared. “I think they’ve done a lot to mediate less booths they said and they’re moving the traffic in different areas. So I think they’ve thought about it,” said Thomas.
Jo McCauley, director of the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce, said the festival is simply too important to cancel: “I think all towns are really hurting because of COVID,” McCauley said. "This is just something Lewistown needs but I think it’s also something central Montana needs because people have expressed to me on multiple occasions they just want something to do.”
Entertainment director Charlie Denison said the festival will have something for everyone. “This year, the entertainment will be a little different. We’re going to have it at the courthouse lawn. We have a little more opportunity to spread people out that way. We have a phenomenal list of local entertainers,“ he explained.
Click here to visit the festival website.
