2020 Rose Rock Music Festival canceled | News – Norman Transcript

NOBLE — The annual Rose Rock Music Festival held in Noble has been thwarted by COVID.

Originally scheduled for May, the festival was moved June and later to August, but this week the Noble Chamber of Commerce voted 6-4 to indefinitely delay or cancel this year’s festival.

John Stokes, president of the Noble Chamber of Commerce president and Rose Rock Music Festival coordinator, said board members were aware of the economic impact as well as the boost in community spirit that the festival has on the community, local businesses and the Chamber itself.

“We painstakingly pursued every avenue and option available to try and put on a safe and successful festival, but with the rising number of (COVID-19) cases being reported, we felt we were fighting a losing battle,” Stokes said. “We know there is some debate on accuracy of the numbers, but they are still the only thing we have on which to base our decisions.”

Stokes explained that after talking with city officials, community leaders, emergency responders, school administrators and local business owners, the board came to the decision to cancel the 2020 Rose Rock Music Festival.

“We knew this decision would be welcomed news to some and irritate others but, we are doing our best to portray Noble in the best possible light,” Stokes said. “We believe in and love this community, and the Rose Rock Music Festival is just one of the ways we showcase our wonderful town and the people who call it home. This why we have tried so diligently to do everything in our power to make this event happen. We will continue to do all we can to promote our town, our businesses, our schools and most of all, our people.”

Brian Houck, Rose Rock Festival music coordinator and owner of New Leaf Fitness and Nutrition, was disappointed in the decision.

“Personally, I think we should still have it and people can choose whether to come or not,” Houck said. “There are other festivals going on around the country, including some just down the road and people are choosing to live their lives and be responsible. It’s a pretty big loss for community, vendors, local businesses, musicians, the carnival and the Chamber.”

Houck said coordinators have their sights set on incorporating the Rose Rock Music Festival into the annual Christmas in Noble event in December, minus the carnival.

“Although we went to great lengths to ensure everyone’s safety at this year’s Rose Rock Music Festival, we just couldn’t make it happen,” Kim Adams, executive director of the Noble Chamber, said. “The annual Rose Rock Music Festival is the major fundraiser for the Noble Chamber of Commerce, and I want to thank all of the organizers, musicians, vendors and the public for their support, cooperation and patience. We’re looking forward to a phenomenal festival next year.”

In closing, Stokes expressed his hope for Noble.

“We can choose for this to divide us, or we can choose to come together and find solutions that work for everyone,” Stokes said. “I believe this town will come together like it always does.”

Adams encourages everyone to shop local to support small businesses. Watch the Noble Chamber of Commerce and Rose Rock Music Festival Facebook pages for news about Rose Rock Music Festival vendors, local businesses and upcoming events.