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The Highlands Motoring Festival is gearing up for its 14th year with a four-day event scheduled for June 10-13.
In hopes that COVID-19 case numbers will continue to decrease, organizers of several events are making plans to host their annual gatherings for 2021.
During the February meeting of the Highlands Board of Commissioners, representatives from the Highlands Motoring Festival approached the board regarding the use of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park and 5th Street on Saturday, June 12.
“We are in our 14th year with the motoring festival and we hope to be able to get back to our normal schedule of events this summer,” event organizer Steve Ham said. “Last year, due to COVID-19, we had a small event in September but we only did the driving tours and we put the public car show on hold.”
According to Ham, the 2021 festival will feature more than 100 classic cars taking part in four days worth of events from June 10-13. All COVID-19 related safety precautions in place at that time will be followed.
Ham added that the festival has generated more than $215,000 for local nonprofits since its inception. A motion to allow the motoring festival to use the park and close 5th Street on June 12 passed unanimously.
Following Ham’s presentation, Derek Taylor made a request to use Founders Park for a 5k race on Saturday, May 15. The event will be a makeup from the cancelled Highlands Twilight 5K that was shuttered last fall due to COVID-19.
“The plan is to have a full event with the 5K run, an awards ceremony and a concert afterward, but we can adjust if needed prior to May 15,” Taylor said. “Depending on the COVID-19 regulations we may have to forego the concert.”
Taylor added that runners could be staggered at the starting line to maintain social distancing if necessary and the awards ceremony could be kept short and also socially distanced.
A motion to grant Taylor’s request passed unanimously.
During Friday’s meeting of the Highlands Recreation Committee additional events made their first pitch for approval prior to being sent to the board of commissioners for a final go-ahead.
“The farmer’s market has approached us about using the park on Saturday mornings from Memorial Day weekend through October,” Highlands Parks and Rec Director Lester Norris said. “The craft show in June has put in their request for the park and the garden club has asked for use of the softball field for their annual plant sale the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.”
Norris added that barring changes to the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, the Highlands Chamber of Commerce plans to restart the summer concert series in Founders Park on May 22.
The recreation committee granted approval for each of those events to be put on an upcoming agenda for the board of commissioners.