COVID-19 and financial concerns cause another iconic Midlands event to be canceled
Another iconic Midlands event has been canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The 2020 Irmo Okra Strut was scrapped, Irmo Mayor Barry Walker told The State Wednesday.
Concerns about the rising number of COVID-19 cases was not the only factor in the cancellation. Financial issues also forced the Okra Strut to be called off.
“Looking at the budget, there were some items that were way out of line,” Walker said. “It’s hard to justify spending that money during a pandemic.”
Walker said he brought those concerns about the cost of a socially distanced event — that would include large screens to watch musical performers from a parking lot — to a Tuesday meeting with town council. The mayor said the majority of the council was in favor of holding the Okra Strut if costs could be lowered, but a budget was not approved and this year’s event was called off.
Of spending an additional $43,000 on the Okra Strut, which normally costs Irmo between $100,000 and $120,000, Walker called it a gamble without knowing how many people would turn out. The Okra Strut is not an income-producing event, according to the mayor.
“I didn’t know if it would work, and that’s a gamble I wasn’t willing to take,” Walker said. “We have to be conservative and fiscally responsible.”
Worries that cases of COVID-19 could rise following Labor Day also weighed on the decision to cancel the event, according to Walker.
The Okra Strut was scheduled to be held on Sept. 25 and 26 at the Irmo Community Park. This was supposed to be the 47th year of the annual event.
“I’m unhappy about it, but as mayor you have to make tough decisions,” Walker said. “The Okra Strut will be back next year and I hope it’s twice as big.”
Prior to canceling the Okra Strut, organizers planned for an event that included safety measures and social distancing. The measures would have been implemented for the parade down St. Andrews Road and for the live music and food vendors set up in the park. The event traditionally includes rides and other vendors for children and adults.
The Okra Strut joins many other iconic events in Columbia and the Midlands have been changed this year. The Famously Hot New Year celebration, South Carolina State Fair, Columbia Greek Fest, the Rosewood Crawfish Festival, Indie Grits film festival, Columbia’s annual St. Patrick’s Day festival in Five Points, Camden’s Carolina Cup steeplechase races and the Lexington Wine Walk among other notable events that have been canceled, altered, or held exclusively online because of the ongoing pandemic.
The cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in South Carolina, as 909 new positive tests and 18 more deaths were confirmed Tuesday by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Overall, 112,088 cases of COVID-19 and 2,408 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed in South Carolina since testing began in March, according to DHEC.
Health officials have confirmed 5,398 positive tests in Lexington County, where 130 COVID-19 deaths have been reported.
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This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 10:10 AM.
