Citing safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tour de Terrace organizers announced Tuesday night that this year’s summer festival — which draws tens of thousands of visitors to Mountlake Terrace each July — has been canceled.

Although canceling the festival was “a bitter pill to swallow,”  Tour de Terrace’s Tisa Smith said that organizers based their decision on the recommendation of City of Mountlake Terrace officials and also on Gov. Jay Inslee’s announced plan for phasing in events with large groups of people. Given the timing of the festival in late July, “it was going to be too close to call for such a large gathering,” Smith said.

“I fought back tears for sure,” she added, “but it was the right thing to do.”

“We’re already looking forward to 2021,” Smith said. “Its seems far away but it’ll be here before you know it.

The first Tour de Terrace was celebrated in 1994 when Mountlake Terrace residents Jerry and Judi Smith decided to establish an event to commemorate the city’s 40th birthday and generate community spirit. Jerry Smith, a long-time Mountlake Terrace mayor and city councilmember, died in late 2018 but the remaining Smith family members — Judi, Scott and Tisa — have maintained the festival along with a dedicated group of community volunteers.