Photo: Clayton Taylor Photography

The 2020 Tontitown Grape Festival scheduled for Aug. 4-8 has been canceled.

“Due to the changing circumstances and unforeseen future due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel this decision must be made in order to protect the safety of both our volunteers and attendees,” organizers announced Wednesday.

The event requires months of preparation, and organizers said they waited until the last possible moment to come to the decision.

More from the statement:

This is a new realization we face with the uncertainty of what is to come. We want to say thank you for the continued years of support from our sponsors, advertisers and of course the hundreds of volunteers that have made the Tontitown Grape Festival such a beloved event for Northwest Arkansas. Please know that we will be looking forward to seeing all of you in 2021!!

The annual event, which would’ve celebrated its 122nd season this year, features carnival rides, an arts and crafts fair, a 5K walk/run, and free live music. Other festival traditions include spaghetti dinners, a grape stomp, grape ice cream, and the annual crowning of the Queen Concordia.