Arts and Culture « Lackawanna County

2020 LaFesta Cancellation Joint Statement

June 23, 2020 – For Immediate Release

2020 LaFesta Cancellation Joint Statement

LaFesta Italiana has been a long-standing and very popular tradition in our community, attracting over 100,000 attendees annually since it was initiated in 1976. But unfortunately like other area events, it too has been affected by the pandemic.

The Lackawanna County Commissioners and the LaFesta Committee jointly announced that “this year’s celebration has been cancelled. We are concerned with the health and well-being of our residents, the many visitors from outside the region, vendors, entertainers, volunteers, workers and public safety personnel who come together to make this large-scale event happen so successfully. We are committed to everyone’s safety and are focused on preventative measures to stop the spread of this virus. We hope to celebrate with everyone again in 2021.”

Arts & Culture News & Activities

The Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department will be redesigning its programming for the remainder of the year due to the COVID-19 crisis to ensure the safety of the public.

Upcoming summer programs including The Scrantastic Spectacular on July 3, Art in the Park series and ARTS Engage! Day at the Electric City Trolley Museum have all been cancelled along with our 3 on 3 tournament. Swimming at our parks’ pool and lakes is prohibited.

Although options may be explored depending on recommendations from the CDC and state, fall and winter events, including the annual Wake Up With the Arts Breakfast and the Winter Market, have also been cancelled. The Trolley Museum is currently not open to the public and offering trolley rides. The museum will follow the official guidelines regarding reopening.

To support local artists and creative local businesses during this time, the County along with Anthracite Events is launching the “NEPA Artists, Creators and Small Business Showcase” on July 1. It will run seasonally through December with the intent to create an online space to make shopping locally easier for the public. Applications are now open and can be found at www.lackawannamarkets.com. They will be accepted until June 19.

The County is currently running its Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Live! series every Wednesday from 7-9 pm, featuring local artists and other cultural producers, until July 1.

To stay updated on future Lackawanna County Arts and Culture programming during the pandemic, follow the Department on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or contact the office at [email protected].

The Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department has launched a new initiative during the COVID-19

Lackawanna Arts & Culture Live!!!

The Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department has launched a new initiative during the COVID-19 to provide
entertainment and education to the public, while supporting artists and other cultural producers.

Lackawanna Arts & Culture Live! is an online series of programming, live streamed every Wednesday from now until July
1 from 7 – 9 pm on ECTV’s YouTube channel, Comcast Channel 19, and at Arts & Culture’s Facebook Live.

The program will feature musicians, visual artists, performers, and lectures on history and heritage. You can check-out
the lineup each week by visiting the Arts and Culture Department’s Facebook page or by emailing
[email protected]

Lackawanna County has published a COVID-19 Creative Community Resources Guide

Arts & Culture Community Resource Guide

The arts and culture sector is especially vulnerable to issues posed by the current COVID-19 crisis by the nature of the work they do. Many artists are self-employed and small businesses and non-profits rely on a customer base. Additionally, arts and culture organizations provide programs for the public to attend.

In response to the challenges faced by creative sector, The Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department and several other agencies and individuals joined forces to publish “Lackawanna County COVID-19 Creative Community Resources,” a guide that helps to navigate the many available resources.

The guide outline CARES Act programs, the Pennsylvania CARE Package and gives links for grant funding and other resource, as well as local organizations offering their expertise for navigating these programs.

The directory will be updated regularly to meet the challenges and changes everyone is facing daily. The public is encouraged to follow the County’s Arts & Culture Department’s Facebook ad Twitter pages for the latest information.

The organizations that offered guidance for the compendium were: City of Scranton Office of Economic and Community Development, Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art, Lackawanna County Arts, Culture and Education Council, Meoni Graphics + Promotion, NEPA Alliance, Scranton Area Foundation, Scranton Tomorrow, the Small Business Development Center and United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA.

The Lackawanna County Arts and Cultured Department will offer an information session through Facebook live on Tuesday, April 14, at 1 pm, which will also be broadcast simultaneously on Electric City Television Channel 19.

For more information on the guide and/or information session, contact Maureen McGuigan, Lackawanna County Deputy Director of Arts and Culture, at 570.815.1280 or [email protected].

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2020 LaFesta Cancellation Joint Statement

Arts & Culture News & Activities

The Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department has launched a new initiative during the COVID-19

Lackawanna County has published a COVID-19 Creative Community Resources Guide

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