On Tuesday, June 30, the McDonough Lions Club made the announcement that the 43rd Annual Geranium Festival has been postponed once again. The festival is now set to take place on May 15, 2021.

  Originally scheduled for May 16, 2020, the Geranium Festival was rescheduled until September 19, 2020 due to coronavirus concerns. 

  As Henry County began to see a rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, the decision was made to postpone the festival until May of 2021.

  “This decision was made in the best interest of the health, safety, and well-being of our vendors, volunteers, visitors, and citizens of Henry County,” read a press release sent out by the McDonough Lions Club on Tuesday, June 30. 

  The President of the McDonough Lions Club, Raye Reed, told the Times that the decision to reschedule the Geranium Festival “wasn’t a really tough decision to make.” 

  “I think it needed to be made,” said Reed. “I had talked to city officials earlier this week and we just thought it was time.”

  Reed stated that the announcement was also meant to give vendors proper notice in order to cease making their preparations for the previously scheduled festival date.

  “Vendors show up and they’ve worked sometimes for months making the products that they sell,” she said. “We wanted to give everybody as much notice as we could that the festival would be cancelled.”

  The Geranium Festival is a major fundraiser for the McDonough Lions Club each year, the proceeds of which benefit various organizations within Henry County.

  Some of the organizations that receive a donation include the Henry County Scholarship Fund, In His Name Food Pantry, the Henry County Council on Aging’s Miles for Meals program, the Alzheimer’s Walk, Haven House, the Georgia Lions Camp for the Blind, Georgia Lions Lighthouse, and the Leo Club at Stockbridge High School.

  The McDonough Lions Club also provides glasses and eye exams for Henry County residents that are visually impaired as well as make a donation to the American Legion to send one girl and one boy to attend the Boys and Girls State delegate program.

  Last year’s Geranium Festival raised around $30,000 from the booths rented by vendors. 

  “The fact that we cannot do the festival this year will impact the amount of money we will be able to give back to different community organizations,” said Reed.

  However, despite the festival not taking place as planned in 2020, the McDonough Lions Club will still look to make a donation to the organizations they support each year. 

  “The intent is still to try to donate to all the same organizations in a much smaller amount,” she said.

  Looking ahead to 2021, Reed remains hopeful that the McDonough Lions Club will be able to hold next year’s Geranium Festival on its rescheduled date.

  “Hopefully next year, we’ll be able to bring this back. That’s our intent,” said Reed. “The only thing that will stop us will be a resurgence of the disease.”

  For more information about the Geranium Festival, visit www.geraniumfestival.com or email info@geraniumfestival.com.

  Applications for the May 15, 2021 Geranium Festival will be available on the Geranium Festival website in November 2020.