On Friday, it was announced that the wildly popular Wizardfest, which would have been its third year this fall, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following similar announcements for regional staples like the Lawrence County Fair, the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival, the Ceredo-Kenova Autumnfest, the Huntington Toy and Comic Convention  and Bridge Day, the decision was not surprising, but still was unwelcome news to hear.

Founder and organizer Brad Bear said the decision was not made lightly and discussions had taken place since the beginning of the pandemic.

Ultimately, it was decided that safety came first and that the event, which draws thousands from across the country and features vendors and guests from all over, would be next to impossible to pull off in a socially-distanced manner.

It was the right call to make, even though it will disappoint fans. But guaranteeing the well-being of attendees and not creating a spreader event for the surrounding community outweigh all other considerations.

We hope that everyone in charge of such gatherings follows his approach. And, more importantly, that they take the same attitude and look to the future, planning for a bigger and better return when this is all over.