CARP – The Carp Fair’s super-popular drive-in bingo is one more great community event the Carp Agricultural Society won’t be able to host this year do to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today (June 22) the agricultural society announced they won’t be hosting the popular bingo series this year.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we, the board have made the difficult decision to cancel our July Drive-In Bingos,” the society released in a statement today. “While we know this is disappointing, we hope you can understand the steps we are taking to help keep our community safe.”

The event is massively popular filling almost every available spot in the Carp Fairgrounds. Not only are the drive-in bingos a fundraiser for the Carp Agricultural Society, it is often a fundraiser for a community organization or family in need.

Last year more than 1,000 people attended the July 31 bingo which raised funds for the Engelberts family, who had lost their patriarch Connor in an unfortunate work accident.

This year would have been the 67th year of the event.

Last week the society made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 edition of the Carp Fair. At that time, Homecraft President Patricia Boyd told West Carleton Online hosting big community events is a key component of the Carp Agricultural Society.

“We like to gather as many people as possible to build community,” Boyd said last week. “This is what we do. Things will look different, but we will make it through this. This is unique. We are a resilient community. We don’t have a choice but to be. I have no doubt this will be a page in history, and we will continue.”