DENVER, CO — One of Colorado’s most popular culinary festivals has been canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic. A Taste of Colorado, which has been held for 37 years every Labor Day weekend, was scheduled for Sept. 5 to Sept. 7 this year.

The festival’s organizers say that food lovers can look forward to the event coming back in 2021.

“As we continue our work to build an economically resilient center city, we do not take this cancelation lightly,” organizers said in a public notice. “Our primary focus continues to be what is most important during this time – the health and safety of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Thank you to everyone who has supported A Taste of Colorado over the course of the last 37 years. We look forward to celebrating our city, and our diverse food, music, and culture for many years to come.”

More than 500,000 people of all ages attend the festival each year, and businesses rely on those customers to stay afloat.

The Downtown Denver Partnership posted the following list of businesses you can support:

  • Belsito Pizzeria continues to operate and serve mobile wood-fired pizza and is still booking private events at apartment complexes and neighborhoods. BelsitoPizzeria.com
  • Experience new dimensions in flavor at 7barrels.com
  • Centennial Cuts offers all Colorado local beef including premium cuts of beef as well as handcrafted beef sticks and summer sausage. centennialcuts.com
  • Help prevent old guitar strings from going to the garbage at retunedjewelry.com
  • Handcrafted jewelry including classic, contemporary, steampunk, and animal designs – Facebook.com/VictorianEleganceJewelry
  • Denver-based face painting, body art, and party services facefiesta.com
  • Professional henna and body art services in Denver and Boulder denverhenna.com
  • Handmade silver jewelry inspired by nature thebeardedjeweler.com
  • Variety of cupcakes from chocolate to vanilla, red velvet to lemon, confetti to salted caramel, and everything in between! yummydeliciousbakery.com
  • Hand-painted clothing for men and women is made of sustainable materials including bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, and recycled polyester. thirdwolfdesigns.com
  • Hand sanitizer in a variety of sizes available at retail and wholesale pricing rtpr.com/hand-sanitizer-bulk
  • colorado clothing and accessories including shirts, hats, beanies, flags, pins, and more local-ltd.com
  • Handcrafted face masks made of double-layered polyester filter material denvermcyology.org
  • Organic aloe skin cream aloecream.biz
  • Korean BBQ in a cup! instagram.com/cupbop_colorado
  • Hot dogs, sandwiches, burgers, and much more billysgourmethotdogs.com
  • Sushi and Japanese steakhouse order.benihana.com/menu/benihana-Denver
  • Outdoor art and unique gifts made of metal and glass echolakestudio.com/