A pair of first-day events in Fayetteville and Bentonville are canceled this week because of an increase in covid-19 cases across the region.
Experience Fayetteville, the city's tourism bureau, canceled its First Thursday event planned at the downtown square because of the increase in cases and local hospitals reaching capacity, according to a bureau news release.
"Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our residents, Experience Fayetteville has decided to cancel First Thursday this month," said Molly Rawn, the bureau's chief executive officer. "While we are deeply disappointed that we've had to make this decision, we recognize that our First Thursday event draws many families to the square, including some of the most vulnerable among us, like children who are ineligible to be vaccinated for the delta variant of the coronavirus."
A mobile vaccination unit with Community Clinic will not be at the square as planned, the release states.
The bureau will monitor cases and consult with medical professionals as the First Thursday season moves forward, according to the release. This week's dog-themed event would have been the first of the season. Other events are scheduled for Sept. 2 and Oct. 7.
Downtown Bentonville's First Friday event scheduled for this week also was canceled, the organization announced Tuesday.
The back-to-school-themed event was organized as a partnership with Bentonville schools to celebrate the school district's 150th anniversary, according to a news release posted on Downtown Bentonville's website.
"This hard decision was made in the best interest of public health and after recommendations from top Northwest Arkansas medical professionals. Our event could potentially draw hundreds of young, school-aged children and their families to booths with hands-on activities," said Kirk Gober, board president of Downtown Bentonville.
"It breaks our heart to cancel a First Friday, but it's the right thing to do to keep our community safe and not create additional strain for our regional health system."
A planned covid-19 vaccine clinic will still be available to walk-ins from 4-8 p.m. Friday at 105 S. Main St. No identification, insurance cards or reservations are required to receive the vaccine, according to the release.
There were 163 patients in the covid-19 units of Washington and Benton county hospitals Tuesday, according to Martine Pollard, a spokeswoman for Mercy Hospital who released a joint statement from the largest health care providers in the region. The figure accounts for nearly 23% of all 721 patients in regional hospitals.