For the first time this century, there will be no party where the rivers meet and a few thousand honorary Mattawanians will be sorely missed by their annual hosts.
The 23rd edition of Mattawa's Voyageur Days was to be held beginning today through the weekend but will be pushed back until next year due to precautions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
See original story: Mattawa council pulls the plug on this year's Voyageur Days
Mayor Dean Backer says he already misses the excitement the event brings — for both civic and selfish reasons.
"It just breaks my heart," Backer tells BayToday on what would have been the opening day. He maintains the correct decision was to cancel the 2020 celebration for the health and safety of residents and visitors alike to maintain Mattawa's COVID-19 positive case count at zero known cases.
As Backer said the night in late April when the decision to cancel was reached, "The risks are way too high."
"It literally brings hundreds of thousands of dollars into our community that will not be there this year. It's one of our economic engines and it has been for 23 years, and it saddens me that we had to put a 'little pause' on it," says a clearly emotional Backer.
He adds, "Businesses rely on it, our social groups rely on it — the Lions Club, the Golden Age Club hold fundraisers when all the visitors come to town, minor hockey has its fundraiser with the camping at the arena — and it literally puts these organizations over the top."
Asked what the future holds for Voyageur Days and the weekend he refers to as the "town homecoming," Backer is hopeful to get back to the weekend's roots, as was the direction for this year.
"We can't wait — depending on the COVID-19 situation — to get the committee back together and not only celebrate Voyageur Days but our successes here in Mattawa," says Backer. "For those who have been coming from long distances, I guarantee you, once we can get through this crisis, our town will be the place to be on the third weekend in July next year."
What will Backer do to fill the time on a fun weekend usually split between mayoral duties and a bit of revelry?
Backer says he will be dutifully working on a "honey-do" list prepared by his wife throughout the weekend — something he hopes to avoid with the triumphant return of Voyageur Days in 2021.
"I'll also be in my backyard around our new fire pit blasting music from Voyageur Days past," adds Backer.
Like its leader, what else can the townfolk do but shake have their heads and have a laugh at life in Mattawa recently?
From the devastating flooding of 2019, through the pandemic, to the cancellation of the town's favourite social event, the people of Mattawa have weathered everything the world has dropped at its doorstep and come out on top, together.
The Voyageur Days 2021 promises to be twice the party (at least).
