More events, venues close in Kelowna due to coronavirus

Photo: Nicholas Johansen

More events and establishments are announcing their cancellation and closures in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The OK Corral announced Monday night it is closing its doors out of an abundance of caution.

"Thank you for understanding and please listen to local and national health authorities. We will open as soon as reasonably possible," management stated.

The first ever AltiTunes Music Fest at Big White has been postponed, the festival said Monday.

Organizers say they are following the directions provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who banned events larger than 50 people, so the April 4 festival cannot go on.

AltiTunes ticket holders will be able to redeem their tickets when the event is deemed safe and a new date is determined. It’s not clear if refunds will be made available.

"We appreciate your patience and support during this time. Ironically, we started hosting events to bring the community together, so while we can’t physically get together for AltiTunes, we are all in this together – we encourage everyone to stay healthy & show some empathy and love for each other during this difficult time," reads the press release.

The Kelowna Curling Club will be closed for curling as of 3 p.m. today in response to Dr. Henry’s order.

The announcement comes nine days before the facility had planned to close for the season. For members, the club will be opened tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for people to empty lockers and to drop off their pre-payments for next season.

At Kelowna's Gneiss Climbing facility, the doors have closed until further notice. 

"The health of our community is paramount, as a small business it’s a hard decision to make but we feel it’s the right one... Communication regarding membership is to follow in the coming days, much love and health from us to you," reads their website.

This Wednesday's Kelowna Chamber of Commerce 2020 AGM and Luncheon has been postponed.

The Chamber is continuing to review events happening now until May, to make any needed adjustments. The Business After Hours scheduled for this Thursday has also been cancelled with none rescheduled for the remainder of March.

Big White's Peak Pride event scheduled for April 1 to 5 has also been cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement comes after the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia advises against all non-essential travel as well as the directions to social distance from other people.  

The Rebellious Unicorns Production Company (RUPC) feels that although it is disappointing to cancel the event, it is crucial to follow the public health experts in regards to the virus. 

RUPC is working closely with their ticket partner to allow for refunds on all tickets however, due to the high volume of events being cancelled people are asked to remain patient during this time. 

Those with accommodation arrangements for Peak Pride can contact Big White Central Reservations at 250-765-8888.

The traditional party for St. Patrick's Day at O'Flannigan's Pub has also been cancelled and the pub will remain closed entirely on March 17.

"Despite the huge revenue loss, we simply feel cancelling the event is the right thing to do socially, for
everyone concerned. All O’Flannigan’s Pub employees that were scheduled to work, will be
compensated accordingly for their scheduled hours," reads the press release.

The St. Patrick's Day celebrations have been a staple at O'Flannigan's for decades, being named one of the top ten locations in Canada for St. Patrick's Day parties. The pub will re-open on March 18 and there may be a St. Patrick's Day do-over in May. 

The Downtown Kelowna Association's Taste of Downtown scheduled for May 2 has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.

The upcoming Downtown After 5 event scheduled for April 15 at the OAK + CRU at the Delta has been cancelled.

Castanet will update as more announcements are released on closures in the Kelowna area.