NEW LONDON — The New London to New Brighton Antique Car Run is the latest victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization’s board of directors will be announcing on its website this week that the 34th annual run to have been held Aug. 6 to Aug. 8 is canceled.
Eric Hylen, board member, said the decision was made due to concerns about the coronavirus and a host of other challenges: Community events along the route are no longer being held, and the group could not get permits to gather in parks and other locations.
“It all adds up,” he said.
The event features antique automobiles on a 120-mile run from New London to New Brighton.
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Hylen said it requires the help of more than 300 volunteers to hold the event, and many of the helpers as well as drivers are senior citizens who are vulnerable to the virus.
The group delayed its decision in hopes of holding the August event, but faced challenges from start to finish. The New London-Spicer High School parking lot serves as the staging area for the run, but state guidelines do not allow gatherings on school property. The final straw came with the decision by New Brighton to cancel this year’s Stockyard Days. The run finishes in New Brighton as part of that community's summer celebration.
Hylen called the cancellation a big disappointment, but said that board members are committed to holding a bigger and better version in 2021.
