Banks City Hall. Photo: Brenda Schaffer
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BANKS – The city of Banks had planned a multitude of celebratory events and activities throughout 2020 to celebrate the city’s 100 year anniversary of incorporation. But one by one, city activities have been canceled, postponed and abandoned in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest casualty? The City of Banks 4th of July parade.
Originally envisioned as a throwback to the roaring ‘20’s, the parade was a special event — separate from the annual Banks BBQ parade held in August — that would have paid homage to the city’s incorporation, with floats and participants encouraged to take on a 1920’s theme.
But in an email sent from the city Wednesday morning, the city confirmed that the event was canceled.
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“Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, social distancing, and gathering restrictions, we have made the decision to cancel the 4th of July Parade. Thank you for your understanding,” the email simply read.
There’s no word yet on what will happen with the annual Banks BBQ and Tractor Pull— held every year in August — and if that event, which will be the 75th annual BBQ if held this summer, will go on. It also features a parade that begins at the Mid-Columbia Co. bus garage and ends at Sunset Park.
According to Brenda Herinckx, president of the Sunset Park Association, the board of the nonprofit organization which owns and manages Sunset Park where the Banks BBQ is held, the group will meet May 13 to determine how to proceed as the event date draws near.
The city of Banks previously extended the city’s emergency declaration to May 12 as it grappled with the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic during their April 14 city council meeting, held via the video conferencing application and platform Zoom.
Among other actions, the declaration cancels all nonessential city events, commission, committee, and task force meetings.
This post has been updated to include remarks made by Sunset Park Association president Brenda Herinckx.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.