The 2020 Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival has been cancelled amidst growing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The volunteer organizing committee for the event announced the cancellation Thursday (March 12) morning.

“Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the committee for the Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival has decided to cancel this year’s event. This was a difficult decision, especially as this would be the milestone 25th year for the celebration. By now, countless hours of work have gone into organizing the event, but in the interest of public health and safety, the committee feels this is the right decision at the right time,” reads a media release.

“Each year, this well-loved event draws thousands of visitors from across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. The idea behind cancelling is to minimize risk for families and visitors of all ages.”

The event was slated to run on April 4 and 5 this year.

“The committee members thank everyone involved for their ongoing support, and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” the media release reads.