MONTE VISTA — The regular Monte Vista Crane Festival was cancelled for 2021 due to safety concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with creativity cranes are still going to be celebrated this March in Monte Vista.

On March 12an online festival will start at 7 p.m. It can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Jenny Nehring who is the head of Crane Committee informed Valley Publishing, “Everyone who registers will have on-demand access until March 17 to watch or re-watch the entire program at their leisure.”

Nehring said the event will be about 2 hours long and is pre-recorded. It will feature a “Cranes of the World,” presentation by crane naturalist Sandra Noll. It will also include a presentation by professional photographer Ed MacKerrow on wildlife and landscapes of the San Luis Valley. There will also be short video productions about cranes and SLV issues as well as short interviews with refuge staff and local community members.

Tickets for the virtual festival are $15 and are available online at mvcranefest.orgalong with other festival and crane information.

In a statement on their website the Monte Vista Crane Committee shared their hopes for a more normal festival next year.

“We look forward to engaging our community for the 2022 festival with events at the Vali-3 theater, the brand-new Ski-Hi event and conference center, and bus tours to the refuge and other local attractions,” the committee stated.

There will be a socially distanced craft fair this year at the McMullen building March 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The craft fair promises to have a great selection of unique items ranging from jewelry, books, organic CBD balms, art, home décor, homemade soaps, kettle corn, and more. Masks will be required to attend the socially distanced event.

Swoop of the Cranes will also be happening for the second time this year. The 5-foot steel crane silhouettes transformed into unique masterpieces by local artists, will soon be perched on light poles all over town. While the cranes are on display citizens and visitors can vote for their favorites.

Cranes have been celebrated in Monte Vista every spring since 1983.