2020 Sports Expo Canceled
The Greater Olean Area Sports, Recreation and Fitness Expo planned for September 26, 27, 2020 has been canceled and will not be held in 2020.
“Initially planned for May 30, 31 at Good Times Events Center, the expo was moved to the September date as GOACC moved its Home Show to the May dates. So the expo was a pinball being bounced around and finally COVID tilted this event too and it is canceled,” stated Meme K. Yanetsko, COO GOACC.
This event had initially been held in September ten years ago at the William O. Smith Recreation Center. It then moved to January to Daniel Carter Events Center, moved again to Good Times, back to Daniel Carter through 2019. The event committee decided to move it back to Good Times as well as to a new time frame of the month of May. Holding it in May would have enabled GOACC to utilize Forness Pond and the fields around GTO, and to place vendors outside (pending good weather .) Even with the move to September for this year, the opportunities made available at GTO was great!
“The cancelation of the show was not due to low vendor attendance. In fact, we had the most new vendors and more related to outdoor sports confirmed then we have had in the past,” added Mrs. Yanetsko. She continued, “I was under the impression that events attendance was based on half of the maximum occupancy of the events center. GTO at 300 maximum – this would mean 150 at anyone time on the show floor. That guideline is for restaurant/food service.” According to the Cattaraugus County Health Department / NYS Guidelines — Under current guidance for Phase 4 no non-essential gatherings of more than 50 people. All event venues are “specifically enumerated as non-essential.
“As far as the balance of 2020 for events, our Corporate Challenge 5K Run and Walk will be virtually held October 1-8th. The rest of our schedule: Allegheny River Running Fest 9/12; StrOlean 9/18, StrOlean 10/3; and the Santa Claus Lane Parade, November 27th are questionable. We are awaiting word from Cattaraugus County Health Department,” reported Mrs. Yanetsko. The Chamber’s Annual Dinner is scheduled for November 5th and would be under the host restaurant serving guidelines of half seating occupancy.
The safety and wellbeing for our event attendees, vendors, volunteers and staff is top priority for our events. As such, if we feel that we are unable to present a safe event, those events will be scaled back or postponed. For more information, please contact GOACC by phone (716) 372-4433 or email.