23
rd
annual Buffalo River Elk Festival cancelled
Jasper, Ark. –
This year’s Buffalo River Elk Festival, scheduled for June 26-27 in downtown Jasper, has been cancelled following Arkansas Department of Health restrictions on large group gatherings.
The Buffalo River Elk Festival typically offers two days of entertainment, local art and handmade goods, food vendors, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s annual elk tag lottery and outdoor activities for the whole family in beautiful Newton County—the elk capital of Arkansas. This annual festival celebrates the successful reintroduction of wild elk to the Buffalo River corridor and the associated benefits to local communities via tourism, outdoor recreation and education. Typically drawing between 3,000 and 8,000 attendees to downtown Jasper, the 2020 festival has been cancelled following the
directive regarding large outdoor venues
from the Arkansas Department of Health.
“This decision was a difficult one to make, but we have a responsibility to protect the health of our community members and festival goers.
We are looking into dates later this year when we might hold a one-day make-up event when it is once again safe to do so. Thank you for your understanding and support,” said an official statement by the Buffalo River Elk Festival board of directors.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will be having an online drawing for their elk hunting permits, which is normally done in-person at the festival. The three elk hunting permits normally reserved for applicants who enter in-person at the festival will be included in the online drawing, bringing the total to 23 elk tags for the 2020 hunting season.
One festival activity, the youth fishing derby, has been rescheduled for September 12.
While the 2020 festival may be cancelled, the Buffalo River Elk Festival board of directors encourages people to visit and support Jasper and Newton County this summer.
