St. Joseph Community Festival scaled back due to Covid-19

The pandemic wounded yet another annual summer tradition this year. The St. Joseph Community Festival committee announced that this year's celebration will be scaled down considerably as the state continues to navigate through it reopening phases.

In a statement released on Facebook, the festival committee announced that after conversations with the American Legion, the village officials and management from the carnival vendor, a decision was reached to cancel most of the events for this year's festival.

"With all of the unknowns at this time due to the coronavirus it is hard to plan what might or might not be allowed in August," Josh Reese wrote in his post in the St. Joseph, IL - Information and Community Events public group on Facebook. "We are planning on keeping a few events."

As of June 10, the planning committee plans to offer the following events:

Saturday, August 1
12pm • Antique and Lawnmower Tractor Pull Location: The Sports Complex

Saturday, August 8
7am - 10am • St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Department Pancake Breakfast

6pm • Community Festival Parade
Location: Downtown

Dusk • Festival Fireworks
Location: Sports Complex

The Pancake Breakfast is listed as tentative. The SJSFD still needs to acquire applicable temporary food permits from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. The tractor pull was schedule to one week earlier due to the availability of the sled.

Reese signed off with a piece of good news after thanking the community for their support. The dates for next year's festival are scheduled to be held on August 12-14 in 2021.


Throwback Thursday: The first St. Joe 5K

This week's Throwback Thursday features photos and memorable faces from the inaugural SJO 5K, then known as the St. Joseph Community Festival 5K. In the months ahead, visit the race's official website here for information concerning this year's upcoming race.

The Sentinel, courtesy of PhotoNews Media, has more than 250,000 images from more than a decade and half of sport coverage and athletic events in St. Joseph. As space and time allows, we will share photos, memorable moments and treasured images from the massive collection of images of sporting events in our files for your weekly paper.


Brothers, Aaron, left, and Caleb Ball sprint out of the gate
With a turnout that exceeded organizers' expectations, 194 finishers ran in the first St. Joseph Community Festival 5K Saturday, August 9, 2008. Brothers, Aaron, left, and Caleb Ball sprint out of the gate ahead of the pack at the start of the run. The race featured a great course under perfect running conditions and over 40 door prizes for participants from area merchants. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Jim Acklin runs inaugural SJO 5K
Jim Acklin, superintendent and former SJO cross-country coach, heads to the finish line. Acklin won the men's 45-54 age group with a time of 17:29.00. Today, Acklin coaches college running as the head cross country coach at Danville Area Community College and serves as a trustee for Ogden. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Ryan Thompsen runs to a 5th place finish
Ryan Thompsen runs to a fifth place finish in the Male 15-19 division at the St. Joseph 5K Run and Fun Walk. Thompsen finished the course at 17 minutes and 55.72 seconds. Thompsen running career did not end after high school or his stint at North Central College in Naperville. He went on to win the 2016 5K title at Illinois Marathon and finished the marathon event in fourth place in 2017. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Finishing together
Jennifer Ball, Sherry Nagy, Kate Morgan, and Sandy Bayles raise their arms as they head for the finish line. Over 190 runners and walkers participated in what would be come the first of an annual community event in St. Joseph. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Jolee Paden runs SJO5K
Jolee Paden, left, holds off Sidney Megeff, who runs to a third place finish in the Female 14 & Under division. Proceeds from the race/walk were donated to the St. Joseph-Ogden High School and St. Joseph Junior High cross-country programs. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Nicole Mannen runs to a seventh place finish
Nicole Mannen runs to a seventh place finish in the Female 14 & Under division. Mannen finished the course at 26:30.03. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


Runner Landon Vowels eats a post-race snack
Landon Vowels devours a banana after finishing his race. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)



*** Editor's Note: This following paragraph was removed from the story due to the PhotoNews archive shuttered by Covid-19 pandemic. "The PhotoNews online archives are searchable by name, date and event. Use the search tool on this page to find current and nostalgic file photographs."