SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane holiday tradition for nearly 40 years will not go on as planned due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Spokane Symphony Associates decided Friday to postpone the annual Christmas Tree elegance raffle.
In early November, organizers had announced the event would look different this year, with trees not being displayed at the Historic Davenport Hotel. Instead, trees were only going to be displayed at River Park Square from Dec. 1-13 because the location best meets COVID-19 social distancing requirements.
A decision rescheduling the event will factor in the community health in relation to COVID-19 and financial viability, according to a press release from the Spokane Symphony Associates.
“We are so grateful for their dedication and commitment and for the hundreds of donors who made their work possible," Christmas Tree Elegance Chair Elizabeth Raol said in the release. "The decision to postpone was made to protect the health of our volunteers as well as the public. This was a very difficult decision.”
Spokane Symphony Associates President Bruce Colquhoun said they hope to have a “COVID Christmas” in the spring or summer 2021.
Christmas Tree Elegance raised more than $400,000 for the symphony in 2019 with $1 raffle tickets for tree displays and prizes.
