The Pullman Chamber of Commerce has announced the cancellation of the 3 Forks River & Arts Festival, originally scheduled for May 17th in the Pine Street Plaza and Riverwalk parking lot, due to city permitting issues and the closure of the Pine Street pedestrian bridge.

Chamber Executive Director Marie Dymkoski confirmed on Tuesday that the decision was made after city officials indicated that the pedestrian bridge, which connects the festival locations, would not be operational in time for the event. The bridge was displaced during February’s flood, marking the first time it floated since its installation 20 years ago. Currently, it remains off its footings, pending an assessment by inspectors once river levels recede.

In addition to the bridge situation, the cancellation is also attributed to the lack of approval for a necessary right of way use permit for the Pine Street Plaza from city staff. The festival, which was set to be in its third year, is a collaborative effort involving the Pullman Civic Trust and the Downtown Pullman Association, all of which have agreed to cancel the event.

Moving forward, the Chamber is focusing on creating new events for downtown Pullman this fall, with hopes of reinstating the festival next year. Vendor registration fees will be refunded to businesses that had signed up for this year’s festival. Pullman Radio News is awaiting a response from City of Pullman spokeswoman Meghan Ferrin regarding the permitting issue.