NW Indiana city cancels July's Pierogi Fest due to pandemic

WHITING, Ind. (AP) - A northwestern Indiana city that hosts an annual festival built around a popular Polish delicacy has canceled this summer's festival because the coronavirus pandemic.

This year's Pierogi Fest had been scheduled to celebrate the potato-filled dumplings in late July in Whiting, Indiana, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of Chicago.

But festival organizers announced Wednesday they had canceled 2020's festival after initially saying in March that it would go on as scheduled this year.

Festival Chairman Tom Dabertin said in a message on the festival's website that in light of the ongoing pandemic this year's festival was canceled due to 'œconcerns about social interaction."

'œThis is not a good time for celebration,'ť he told The (Northwest Indiana) Times.

Dabertin said the festival, which draws more than 300,000 people to downtown Whiting, would return next year, giving people a chance 'œto return to their roots, celebrate their heritage and have a lot of fun.'ť