THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — Roses are out in full display, as the city of Thomasville is preparing for the 100th Rose Show and Festival.
Madison Eaton with the City of Thomasville said even with COVID-19 restrictions loosening in Georgia, safety measures for the event remain.
"For the new executive orders, it will not change anything in this upcoming rose show," Eaton said.
With only two weeks until the event, Eaton said it didn't make sense to change plans now.
"With it being an outside event, we felt like this is still a great aspect for people to feel safe coming into the downtown," Eaton said.
To keep safety a top priority, Eaton said the city is limiting the number of people at the indoor flower shows, having washing stations on the sidewalks, and keeping 90 percent of the festival outside.
The event was canceled last year because of the pandemic, so it was a top priority this year because they're celebrating 100 years of history.
"When looking for inspiration for other festivals, I was not able to hardly find anything that has lasted for 100 years, so that's a huge deal for downtown Thomasville," Eaton said.
This festival is especially important for businesses, who rely on big events to attract customers.
That's why many stores are celebrating the event for more than just one weekend.
"The Thomasville downtown merchants alliance decided to take the whole month of April to celebrate the rose show," Co-Owner of Liam's Restaurant Rhonda Foster said.
She said downtown business owners with bees in the window are doing an initiative called 'Show us your roses' to keep the community rose-themed for the whole month.
They will have special drinks, food, items and activities people can participate in for multiple days to also help promote social distancing.
"Rather than it just being one weekend, letting people come for the whole month then social distance and be able to shop and explore the roses," Foster said. "We still have all the big events lined up for the 22nd through the 24th, but this gives people a chance to come out and shop without the streets being super crowded."
After the event is over, the downtown businesses will be donating the flowers to local nursing homes as a way to lift their spirits after this past year.
The Rose Show and Festival will take place April 22 to April 24 in downtown Thomasville with the theme of "Where Roses Reign, 100 Years of Roses."
