VANCOUVER -- Another event scheduled for the May long weekend in British Columbia's capital city has been postponed because of COVID-19.
The 157th Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival was scheduled to take place over nine days in May, beginning on May 9 and continuing through Victoria Day, with the biggest events on May 16 and 17.
On Friday, the Victoria Highland Games Association, which organizes the event, announced it was postponing the celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture until late summer, though it didn't provide any specific dates for the rescheduled events.
The postponement is just the latest in a long line of cancellations and date changes caused by the provincial public health order banning all gatherings of more than 50 people because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Highland games organizers say they will provide full refunds for all advance-purchases and registrations related to the events scheduled for May 16 and 17 in Topaz Park.
"The format for the rescheduled festival will be refocused on performance and community," the VHGA said in a statement on its website. "Further details on the rescheduled festival, including location, dates and schedule of events will be available by June."
Earlier in the week, those in charge of Victoria's annual Victoria Day parade announced that they would be cancelling this year's event. It's the first time in the parade's 122-year history that it has been cancelled.
