The city of Council Bluffs decided it was best to cancel the Bayliss Park Winterfest due to COVID-19 and of how much it is still continuing to spread in our community. In a statement, Matt Wyant with Pottawattamie County Public Health he says that 15.9 percent of people that are tested come back positive.

They will still be putting up the lights for the Winterfest they just won’t have the lighting events or social festivities this year. Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh says think that it is in our best interest to not bring thousands of people together due to COVID-19.

“According to Public Health, our weekly positivity rate has been jumping about 2% every week as of today we’re over 19%. It’s spreading quickly and we have a record number of tests being conducted,” according to Ashley Kruse, the communication officer for Council Bluffs.

Winterfest is an event that takes place at Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs the week before Thanksgiving. It’s a lighting ceremony, along with other things such as pictures with Santa, face painting, and live reindeer.

The Winterfest committee is already planning for the 2021 Winterfest and is promising us that it will be even bigger and better due to the cancellation of this years.