Our city is known for events and understandably COVID-19 has forced organisers to consider cancellations and postponements, however; Griffith could miss out on a once-in-a-generation opportunity by doing so.
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Regional Australia is likely to see an unprecedented travel boom, with international and some inter-state travel banned and only the only the promise of a Trans-Tasman bubble.
While agriculture is the foundations of our regional hub, tourism is a close second and puts the city in a unique position to indeed reap what it sows.
The pandemic peak appears to have passed, taking with it the need to cancel and postpone events.
Instead, event organisers must utilise all their skill and smarts to ensure Griffith's people and businesses, who have already lost work and income, can benefit from this rare opportunity.
Events will need to look different as social distancing must be adhered to with the very real threat of a second wave of COVID-19 looming.
However, Griffith has the resources to achieve this and the current societal attitude is sympathetic to increased hygiene and safety measures.
Event organisers could consider options like hosting timed sessions, increasing employment opportunities by hiring more cleaners and utilising more space for social distancing - like long painstakingly reinvigorated Yambil Street.
I know from my own research that many a 2020 bride and groom postponed their wedding day to October, with vendors confident events can go ahead safely by then or even earlier.
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It's the same month when Griffith hosts some of its biggest events to inject much needed funds into our economy including Spring Fest and Griffith's Biggest Lap.
The 'bigger and better next year' an attitude will only see our country community miss out on the influx of vital tourism dollars - the time, is now.
Surely, a global pandemic is a reminder that the future is not guaranteed and to make the most of the time we have.
If there are any silver lining from a pandemic, it's that Australians are solely looking to travel and spend their money locally.
Be smarter and use this opportunity to push forward with the city's unique events, so Griffith can excel during an impending period of economic downturn.
Our community needs and deserves it.
Alison Dance is a former Griffith resident
