By Guy Busby
FAIRHOPE – The fall of the Fairhope New Year’s ball and other events to celebrate the end of 2021 have been canceled as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that has marked most of the year .
Mayor Sherry Sullivan announced the cancellation at the Dec. 14 town hall meeting.
“We plan to cancel the city’s New Year’s Eve event in light of COVID,” Sullivan told council members. “It simply came to our notice then. We didn’t want to host any rallies and you all know better than anyone that tents create a social gathering and also the stage and the ball, so we won’t do that this year.
During the celebration of New Year’s Eve 2020, some 7,000 residents gathered at the intersection of Fairhope Avenue and Church Street to watch a ball fall from a crane at midnight. The annual event included bands, fireworks and other activities.
Rental shops for civic groups, businesses, individuals and others have also been set up along Fairhope Avenue during past New Year’s Eve celebrations.
A city statement said that since Governor Kay Ivey extended the safest health order in the state home until Jan. 22, restricting public meetings, Fairhope officials have decided to cancel the New Year’s Eve events to take into account possible public health risks.
Sullivan said all the Mardi Gras parades have also been called off.
“We’ve had two organizations canceled and hopefully the third and also Haven will obviously cancel this week as well,” Sullivan said. “So it looks like Mardi Gras won’t be moving to Fairhope this year,” Sullivan said Dec. 14. “We’re really disappointed with that, but you think it’s probably the best decision for our community to keep us safe and healthy.”
Sullivan said Friday that all four parades had been canceled.