At the Oakland Mayor and Town Council meeting held on Tuesday, September 7th, it was announced that Oakland will move forward with the planning of the 54th Annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade. Officials expressed concerns about resuming this signature event, but decided to proceed with extra precautions put in place.
Officials indicated that they would continue to monitor the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in the area and have insisted on receiving weekly updates from the Grand Feature Parade committee throughout their planning.
As the event is held outside and spaced over a large area, officials deem the event to be safer than others that have been cancelled recently. Masks will not be required, although officials strongly recommend that all people, vaccinated or not, wear masks to protect public health. Parade officials also encourage all to continue to practice safe measures, including wearing masks where social distancing isn’t possible, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and to stay home if you are not feeling well.
Mayor Jay Moyer remarked that moving forward with this event is imperative for Oakland businesses. “Our businesses are looking forward to Autumn Glory and many are dependent on the sales from the weekend.” Councilperson Fred Gregg, also mentioned how the event helps with the morale of the community as a whole. Moyer agreed, indicating “This event is important for our community but use your own judgement about attending any events.”
For information about the 54th Annual Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade please contact Nicole McCullough at 301-334-2691 or mainstreetgoab@gmail.com. Applications for participation in the parade can be found at https://oaklandmd.com/autumn-glory-festival.html.
