Atlanta, GA – There won’t be a Kirkwood Spring Fling event this year.

The annual fundraiser held in Bessie Branham Park, slated for May 16, has been canceled due to COVID-19. The event has traditionally been a big success that has added to the bank account of the Kirkwood Neighbors’ Organization, which has, in turn, used it for various community projects. Last year, the event made $10,700 more than anticipated.

But the prospect of holding a big event this year with the pandemic unresolved wasn’t appealing to organizers.

Here is the full announcement from the Spring Fling Planning Committee:

Dear friends & neighbors, it’s with a heavy heart that we have decided to cancel the 18th annual Kirkwood Spring Fling & Tour of Homes and 11th annual Spring Fling 5K Road Race.

It was a difficult decision knowing how much this festival means to our community, but with no indication that the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding it does not seem safe or feasible to proceed with a large gathering on May 16. We are considering the possibility that standalone elements of the festival could be either held virtually or rescheduled to a later date, but it’s unlikely we’ll know for certain until the city returns to business as usual.

To our sponsors, artists, food vendors, musicians, 5K registrants, Wing Fling competitors, and Tour of Homes advance ticket buyers: thank you for your support and you will be contacted soon in regards to refunds or deferral options.

Wishing you all a safe & healthful year,

The 2020 Spring Fling Planning Committee