File photoThe Threefoot Arts Festival offers fine art, crafts, hands-on children’s activities as well as live performances from local entertainers.

The Threefoot Festival’s website has one simple phrase posted front and center.

“Postponed due to the coronavirus. Check back for new date!”

Indeed, that seems to be the story echoing throughout Meridian since Wednesday’s announcement of a confirmed COVID-19 case in Mississippi.

Festival organizers held a meeting Thursday to discuss changes to the annual event, while reiterating that the festival was not cancelled, just postponed.

This year, the plan is to spread things out. Instead of localizing everything in one cluster, the event seeks to use downtown as a canvas, painting bits of the festival throughout downtown.

“It’s more of a showcase of Meridian than just artwork,” said co-chair Mark Davis said. “In the past it’s been all about artists and arts and crafts and now we’re trying to shift the focus a little bit to make it more inclusive to the retail businesses in Meridian.”

Though the event is more open in terms of what can be included, art is still at the heart.

“We don’t want to lose focus with how it started with art, we’re just trying to do it in a better way,” said co-chair Jon Purdy. 

“What we learned from last year, the peak time was between 11 and 1. After that we had a lot of people leave. When more people are there, that’s when we want the headliner,” Purdy said.

There are about 30 vendors so far signed up with a goal of 200.

For more information, visit www.threefootfestival.com/