Upper Moreland Township Commissioners have denied the Century-old June Fete & Pony Show fundraiser.
An annual fair and pony show happening for more than 100 years in Upper Moreland Township, which raised $100,000 for Jefferson Lansdale and Jefferson Abington hospitals last year, has been canceled by township officials due to safety concerns and violence, according to 6abc.com.
The June Fete Fair & Pony Show was canceled by Upper Moreland commissioners due to “trends elsewhere” that show large-scale events are too much of a safety risk, per the news report.
Even urging commissioners with offers to cut late night hours and add metal detectors and security personnel was not enough to get permits approved by officials. 6abc said all required permits were denied due to safety concerns.
The Board released this statement:
"The collective opinion of our public safety officials is that while additional security measures proposed in the revised permit application were appreciated, the high risk of safety and security issues remain. The decision was not made lightly and was based on current safety and security issues that arose at numerous other local events. Recent local events included fights, assaults, robberies, and gun violence that overloaded public safety resources and led to cancellations of partial or all of certain events within our immediate area."
Last year, the fair had one arrest for fighting, per the report.
Now, the Jefferson Health Women’s Board heads back to the drawing board for alternative fundraising plans.
Read more here.
