POWAY, Calif — Despite the easing of restrictions on large events, organizers of the long-running Poway Rodeo have decided to cancel the 2021 event, which had been scheduled for September.
Organizers say they faced several challenges, despite the California reopening that took place earlier in June.
A key factor is that the cost to put on the event rose significantly.
Organizers say the pandemic hit the events industry hard, and many of the vendors that rent items like bleachers, grandstands, lights, and other event infrastructure had to raise prices substantially in order to get by.
At the same time costs were going up, potential revenue fell beyond what could be made up by fans coming through the gates.
“It takes more than just fans to do it. It takes sponsorships. In this year a lot of the businesses have been hit hard and it’s been difficult to get the sponsors we need," said Darci Van Meter, a member of the Poway Rodeo staff.
By canceling 2021, rather than holding a scaled-back event, they hope to use the additional time to plan for 2022 and find more sponsors.
