The third time is not the charm for Mayfair with the announcement that concerns about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced cancellation of the 2020 arts festival.

Mayfair 2020 was to return May 22-24 for the third year on the Cedar Crest College campus in Allentown.

The three-day festival is regarded as heralding the unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day weekend.

In an April 27 statement on the Cedar Crest College website, Audra Kahr, chair of the Mayfair committee and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Cedar Crest College, said:

“As excited and hopeful as we were to welcome the community to our campus for another great celebration of art, performance and food, the safety and well-being of our campus community, volunteers, vendors, performers and guests remains of utmost importance.

“We will turn our focus to planning for the 2021 festival, while also doing what we can to keep the spirit of Mayfair alive in the meantime,” Kahr said.

On its website, Cedar Crest College announced the cancellation of its Mayfair Festival of the Arts because of “ongoing efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.”

According to the Cedar Crest website, “In the absence of a physical festival, Mayfair will use its social media channels on Facebook and Instagram @cccmayfair to support and promote the artists, performers and vendors that were slated to participate in this year’s festival, as well as share highlights from the past two festivals that were held on campus.”

The Cedar Crest website states that it brought the more than 30-year Mayfair tradition back to Allentown and the Lehigh Valley in 2018, after the festival had been canceled by former organizers in 2017.

“The college returned the festival to the roots that had made it a beloved kickoff to summer in the region, drawing more than 20,000 attendees with free admission and family activities, and showcasing area artists, performers and vendors,” states the Cedar Crest website.

The 2019 Mayfair featured “twice as many artists and food vendors, expanded hours and some new faces,” according to an article in the May 23, 2019, Focus section of Lehigh Valley Press.

Mayfair 2019 had multiple stages with popular local and regional bands performing, an artists’ market, children’s activities, food stands and beer and wine. Admission is free. Free parking is available on the college campus.

For 2019, there were more than 50 artists in “The Artists Market” outside on the 84-acre tree-lined campus and inside Lees Hall.

Artists’ displays and demonstrations included pottery, sculpture, painting and photography.

The Baum School of Art had a children’s art tent offering free art projects.

Tours were given of the college’s William F. Curtis Arboretum, which has more than 150 species of trees.

There were more than 30 performances at the 2019 festival on two stages, a main stage off College Drive and a bandstand stage at the Blaney Hall circle, where performers included Lucky 7, The Large Flowerheads, BC Combo, Philadelphia Funk Authority, James Supra and Sarah Ayers and Rubix Cube.

More than 20 food vendors were at Mayfair 2019.

Cedar Crest College, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017, came to Mayfair’s rescue in 2018 when the annual Allentown music and arts festival was canceled in 2017 after nearly three decades.

Mayfair was founded 33 years ago as a free arts and music festival in Cedar Beach Park and Union Terrace, a successor to center city Allentown’s Celebration festival and Super Sunday.

Although initially attracting thousands of people, Mayfair was plagued by bad weather and struggled financially.

In 2005, the festival put up gates and started charging admission, but still faced the uncertainty of the weather.

In 2013, Mayfair moved to the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds, where it had indoor and outdoor venues. Admission continued to be charged.

Mayfair Information: https://www.cedarcrest.edu/news/42720_mayfair.shtm