Organizers of Wellsville’s centerpiece festival are just as disappointed as you. They work year round to make the Balloon Rally happen and are sorry to make this statement:
Greetings from the Great Wellsville Balloon Rally Committee,
We know everyone has been waiting for news of this year’s Rally. We apologize for the delay in making an announcement, but we wanted to be sure we were making the right decision. As we said last year, the safety of all who attend or Rally has to be our first priority, and with the pandemic still lingering, we feel that it would be irresponsible to produce an event that involves such a mass gathering. This decision has been very difficult to make, and we make this announcement with heavy hearts, but we have officially decided to cancel our Rally again this year.
Our decision to cancel was induced in part by the fact that the Department of Health has no clear rules about mass gatherings for this summer. A limited number of spectators, proof of a negative Covid test from 3 days prior to attending, and/or proof of receiving the COVID vaccine are required for smaller events this summer, so we have to assume that this would also be required at our event. It would be impossible to adhere to those regulations with the number of spectators that usually attends our Rally.
We just want everyone to stay safe and healthy, and feel that we are doing our part to help end this dreadful virus. We thank everyone for your understanding, and we hope to have a very different announcement for you next year.
Sincerely,
The Great Wellsville Balloon Rally Committee
