A Tri-Cities summertime favorite has now been officially canceled for 2020...you guessed it due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Allied Arts Association announced today that they regretfully are canceling this year's Art in The Park event. 2020 would have marked the 70th year for this hugely popular Tri-Cities tradition. Next to Water Follies which always runs the same weekend,  is one of the largest outdoor arts & craft events in eastern Washington.

The first "Art in the Park" was held at Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center in 1950. It was called the “Clothesline Show” at the time because paintings were hung on clotheslines strung up in the breezeway between sections of the strip mall. The eight or so participating artists that year also displayed 3-dimensional art and craftwork on card tables. About eight artists participated in that first show. Since then, the show name was changed to the Sidewalk Show and was held in several locations, including the Harry Kramer Center grounds and the park across from the Federal Building until becoming the annual event it is today in Howard Amon Park.

According to a press release from the Allied Arts Association, the decision was a difficult one but was made in order to protect the safety of its artists, vendors, volunteers, and patrons.

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