The Sno-Barons Snowmobile Club sent this message on July 15, formally cancelling snowmobiling’s biggest event for this year due to COVID-19 and its resulting restrictions. The Haydays Grass Drags and Swap Meet was scheduled for Sept. 12-13, 2020, near North Branch, Minnesota.
Previously, on June 11, the club said it was going to try to make it work out this year, but with recent growth of the virus in the U.S. is became increasingly difficult.
Here’s the message from the Haydays hosting club:
54th Hay Days Postponed to 2021
A month ago, we communicated a decision to proceed with planning for the upcoming Hay Days with the expectation that the COVID-19 infection rate would continue to decline and that we could establish a workable preparedness plan that would keep our guests safe. At the same time, we set a goal of preserving as much of the Hay Days experience as possible. Unfortunately, given the current reality that COVID cases are on the rise in many areas, we have decided it is in the best interest of everyone involved to postpone Hay Days for the first time in 54 years.
Our decision to postpone was incredibly difficult to make, but ultimately we believe it is the right one. We know there will be many disappointed vendors and fans, and we appreciate the overwhelming support we have received for the initial decision to move ahead with the event. We understand the importance of Hay Days to the powersports community and feel a deep responsibility to our vendors and fans to host the annual event. However, keeping in mind that attendees historically travel to Hay Days from over 30 states and several Canadian provinces, we must look at the bigger picture with respect to the risks involved. It would not be practical to implement a mitigation plan utilizing current guidelines without severely impacting both the vendor and spectator experience.
The planning and preparation already done for Hay Days 2020 will carry forward to 2021. As a thank you to our loyal fans, we are planning online giveaways and other engagement opportunities to mark the “Official Start of Winter” in the tradition of Hay Days. Please watch haydays.com, follow us on Facebook, or join our mailing list to get the latest information.
We hope you will join us in looking forward to next year’s Hay Days, when the “Official Start of Winter” moves to September 11-12, 2021. Sno Barons Snowmobile Club
Pingback: 2020 Hay Days cancels September event in Minnesota | Powersports Business
Pingback: Derby Complex To Host Motorsports Show And Swap Sept. 11-13 | SnowGoer
Pingback: Three More Fall Snowmobile Events Are Cancelled | SnowGoer
Pingback: Novi, Milwaukee Snowmobile USA Shows Cancelled | SnowGoer