EP 10: What will this summer look like without festivals, shows and jobs?
With the cancellation of long-standing festivals, new rules at theme parks and concerns over long-distance traveling, this summer will be like no other in recent memory.
On this episode of “Life, Community, and COVID-19,” hosts John Dankosky of New England Public Radio and Rose Scott of WABE in Atlanta, discuss the loss of summer as we knew it.
We look at the impact on towns that rely on summer tourism, the loss of summer jobs, how people are managing the change and what it could mean for the future.
In addition to callers, our guests include:
Lora Bottinelli, executive director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, based in Maryland. The organization’s flagship event, The National Folk Festival, would have celebrated its 80th anniversary this year. It typically draws more than 100,000 attendees per event.
Tom Smith, associate finance professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He talks about what to expect of the economy this summer.
Paul Gribble, president at Georgia Mountain Cabin Rentals in Blue Ridge, Georgia. He talks about the changes he’s seen to tourism this summer.
Audio diary from Emily Previti and Ed Mahon of PA Post featuring residents of Erie and Williamsport talking about what life will be like this summer without annual events: YahMoorah Shakoor-Hooker, Melinda Saldivia, Derek Slaughter, Andrew Cousins and Daria Devlin.
You can also read our Twitter thread below.
This show was produced by John Voci of New England Public Radio and Grace Walker of WABE in Atlanta.