Holley not ready to cancel summer concert series by canal

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 May 2020 at 10:31 am

File photo: The country band, Julie Dunlap and High Maintenance, performs during a concert by the canal in Holley. Holley hosts the concerts on Fridays near the gazebo.

HOLLEY – The Village Board isn’t ready to cancel its summer concert series, even though other communities have decided against holding the events.

Holley’s concert series runs on Friday evenings from June 12 to Aug. 7.

The Village Board discussed the series during the monthly board meeting on Tuesday. The schedule remains set for now, but the June dates could first be scrapped and possibly rescheduled for the end of August.

The Board first wants to see if the bands have flexibility in their schedule. If some of the concerts earlier in the season are cancelled, Holley also wants to know how that could affect the $545 it is receiving in arts funding for the series. The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council approved that amount for the series. Would Holley still receive the full amount if some dates are cancelled? The board will check with GO Art!

“There is no reason in my opinion to cancel the whole summer,” said Holley Mayor Brian Sorochty. “Maybe we take June out of it.”

The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association has cancelled its summer concert series at the Orleans County Marine Park. Many other community festivals and events have also been scrapped this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

With so many community events being cancelled, Sorochty said that is more reason to try to have the concert series in Holley.

The village will need to insist on social distancing and other precautions if the events go on. Many of the concert-goers are senior citizens.

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