The Double Decker Arts Festival did not happen in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the status for the 2021 event is currently unknown.

Organizers of the annual spring festival provided an update during the Oxford Tourism Council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday. Lee Ann Stubbs, Double Decker coordinator, told the council plans are currently in a holding pattern for this year.

“We all know the (COVID-19) vaccines are here in Mississippi, but at Double Decker, we are monitoring the rollout of the vaccines and how the rollout will impact the ability for large group gatherings in April.”

Stubbs went on to say she and Visit Oxford executive director Kinney Ferris are remaining in constant communication with local and state leadership on the subject of group gatherings resuming by April and continually getting feedback.

Last year’s event was set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the music and arts festival in Oxford, which takes over the Downtown Square for two days the last weekend of April.

The festival was postponed to mid-August in anticipation of being able to hold the event then, but the pandemic continued to worsen and Stubbs made the decision to cancel 2020’s event altogether.

“We’re still doing research and we hope to have more information in the coming weeks or month,” Stubbs said.

Other large regional spring events have already been canceled or postponed for this year. The annual Beale Street Music Festival, which is a cornerstone of Memphis’ month-long Memphis in May event, was canceled for the second straight year. New Orleans’ annual Jazz Festival, which traditionally takes place over two weekends in April and May was postponed to Oct. 8 through 17 on Tuesday.