EDITORIAL
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For many of you, this Queen's Birthday long weekend was probably the first time in a while that you were able to venture far from home.
Thanks to eased coronavirus isolation restrictions, holiday travel is now permitted across NSW.
This weekend, many of you would have enjoyed time with loved ones you haven't seen face-to-face for some time.
The relaxed rules would no doubt have also delivered a much-needed tourism boost for many Riverina communities, including those dealing with the double-whammy of summer bushfires and COVID-19.
However, many of the events that would usually be held across the Riverina on the June long weekend did not go ahead.
Now, uncertainty remains as to whether events planned for the rest of the year will be able to take place as normal.
While the cap on gathering sizes is slowly being lifted, social distancing requirements such as keeping 1.5 metres from others and the one person per four square metre rule continue to cause headaches for event organisers.
The latest casualty of these trying times is Lockhart's Spirit of the Land Festival.
The festival, which began in 2006 to celebrate the resilience of those who live and work on the land, was due to be held on the second weekend in October.
In announcing the event's cancellation, Spirit of the Land Lockhart Inc president Peter Veneris said uncertainty had made planning very difficult.
"We do not believe that we can put on a meaningful festival and comply with the restriction on gatherings as well as the 1.5 metre social distancing rules," Mr Veneris wrote on the festival's Facebook page.
"Bearing in mind that the festival first began as a celebration of the community's resilience, we hope that with the support of our sponsors, volunteers, and the local community, the festival will return next year even stronger."
While traditional June long weekend events might have been canned, today we are still able to recognise the region's Queen's Birthday honours recipients.
Thanks to each of you for your tireless work. Your contributions have helped make the Riverina a better place.
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