Popular Murphys Event Canceled
Murphys, CA – The Grape Stomp and Gold Rush Street Faire are once again canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers had high hopes that both would happen this year and had even posted their returns on social media, with street faire officials stating, “After taking a year off, historic downtown Murphys will once again close its Main Street for the 30th Annual Murphys Gold Rush Street Faire.”
Those hopes were dashed as the spread of COVID continues. In its cancelation notice, the Calaveras Winegrape Alliance stated the event had been canceled due to the current coronavirus numbers in the county. They noted, “We are committed to hosting safe and enjoyable events.”
Earlier this month, the alliance had switched the Grape Stomp to a virtual even, but now say “due to a lack of interest,” that has also been scrapped. Instead, there will be an online auction program opening on Oct. 15th.
These popular events typically draw visitors from as far away as the San Francisco Bay Area, Reno, and the San Joaquin Valley. Organizers noted that in the past the fun of the Grape Stomp and the many shops and restaurants kept people in town all day with attendance averaging around 5,000 during the festivities. While they acknowledge they were expecting fewer people this year due to COVID, the cancelation takes a huge hit on the community’s tourism revenue.
