BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The threat of eastern equine encephalitis has led to the cancellation of another popular event in our region. Organizers say Oktoberfest Vermont 2024 at the Burlington Waterfront is canceled.
They say they made the decision after recommendations from state health officials and the city advising people to limit their time outdoors during the evening to avoid the potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus.
EEE is a rare but serious virus that can be fatal in one out of every three people with significant cases. Health officials say most people who are infected do not develop symptoms, but those who do may experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, body aches and joint pain.
So far, three people have been infected in New England, including one person in New Hampshire who died, and one person in Chittenden County who has since been released from the hospital.
To protect its patrons, organizers say Oktoberfest Vermont will not return for its ninth year.
“For us, that level of unknown and the level of expense to be at the waterfront just it was just too high of a risk to try to be selling tickets to something that wasn’t recommended by the state,” organizer Max Orleans said.
Organizers say ticketholders can expect a full refund, including fees, by the end of the week.
The event was supposed to kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20, but organizers say the risks on multiple fronts were too great.
“We came up with all these different ideas to make it possible, but at the end of the day, the financial risk on the waterfront is just way too high to be able to try to guess, to see if people would feel comfortable or buy those tickets,” Orleans said.
Organizers say although Oktoberfest is canceled this year, they are already working on next year’s event.
Many people out and about in Burlington on Monday said they are aware of the risks posed by EEE and are already taking precautions to avoid it.
“We have lots of mosquitos in Florida and we don’t like them, so we already try to stay away from them,” said Jack Ross of Gainsville, Florida.
“Last night, like we went out, so I wore jeans, pants. You know, you just try and cover up, whatever you can wear, long socks. But if you’re gonna get it, you’re gonna get it, you know,” said Devin Conway of Burlington.
Others are looking out for their younger family members.
“For myself? Not too much, being aware of it. For my grandkids, I’m told by their parents I can’t play with them outside between six and six, so I’m following those orders because I’m a good grandpa,” said Michael Healey of Burlington.
The first hard frost is expected to lower the risk of EEE, but in Burlington, that doesn’t usually happen until October.
You can protect yourself by limiting time outside from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., wearing long pants and long sleeves, using insect repellant, fixing holes in your screens and removing standing water from your property.
Last week, another popular Burlington event, Summervale, was canceled due to concerns about EEE.