The event was originally planned to begin in November but was halted after permits were denied by the city, according to the hall’s Operations Manager Shannon Davies.
Davies was working with Nate Janousek of Fun Biz Concessions to organize the rally and had planned to host the first event Nov. 5-Dec. 6 before the permits were denied Nov. 2, Davies said.
In a letter to Janousek, who submitted the application for the event permits, New Braunfels Mayor Rusty Brockman cited concerns that event would not adhere to health and safety protocols related to COVID-19.
“The number of days of the event, the hours, the proposed area, the event type, and the anticipated number of guests were some of the factors considered,” Brockman wrote. “These specific types of events and festivals such as the Comal County Fair, Wurstfest, Wassailfest, have been canceled in our community to prevent the unregulated transmission of COVID within our community as well as the state.”
Brockman wrote that the permit application was reviewed by the city manager’s office, local fire department, local health authority and New Braunfels Neighborhood Services staff.
On Nov. 6, Comal County reported the coronavirus-related death of a New Braunfels woman in her 90s, bringing the county to 122 deaths related to COVID-19. The positivity rate on the same day was reported to be 7.7%, down from 9.52% on Oct. 30.
The event organizers hope to reschedule the event for March, Davies said.
