Winona Steamboat Days canceled over virus concerns

A mid-June festival in Winona has been called off due to COVID-19 concerns.

It would have been Winona’s 72nd Steamboat Days, which was set for June 17-21. The festival first began in 1948.

Steamboat days has been held in downtown Winona from 1948-1981, before construction of the permanent levee moved it to Lake Park. It came back downtown in ’82 for the 50th anniversary, where it’s been ever since.

“We have been discussing the many possibilities over that last several weeks and determined that, with the current COVID 19 guidelines in place and the projections going into June, it was in the best interest for the health and safety of our volunteers and community to cancel this year’s celebration,” Steamboat Days President Maynard Johnson said in a statement.

The organization is working on ideas for smaller events later in the year. Plus, Steamboat Days 2021 is already scheduled for June 16-20.