UNION —  The annual Grassroots Festival in Union has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Grassroots Festival is traditionally conducted the second Saturday of August and was set to be conducted this year on Aug. 8.

Donna Beverage, the manager of the Grassroots Festival for about the past eight years, said that it would be impossible to conduct the event and still conform to the state’s social distancing rules. Beverage said that in 2019 the Grassroots Festival drew 1,500 people, well above the number now allowed at outdoor gatherings.

“We want to keep people safe,’’ said Beverage, a Union County Commissioner.

Beverage hopes that the Grassroots Festival can comeback strong.

“We regretfully had to cancel this year, but we hope to see many people next year,’’ Beverage said.

The Grassroots Festival has been conducted annually for about 20 years.