Winterdine festival postponed due to new dine-in restrictions

The annual Winterdine festival in Charlottetown has been postponed until at least Feb. 7 due to new COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit indoor dining at restaurants, organizers say.

The new restrictions were announced Tuesday, two days into the three-week dining promotion that is designed to give a boost to restaurant businesses during a typically slow period.

Dawn Alan, executive director of Downtown Charlottetown Inc., said Winterdine relies heavily on the dine-in experience.

"The restaurants are in a precarious situation where they're not even likely to have the full complement of staff as they normally would, even to provide the takeout. And it just wouldn't be the same if we didn't postpone it and allow them to really take advantage of what the festival was meant to be at another date."

Winterdine features three-course, pre-set menus at 19 participating restaurants. Diners can vote for their favourite creations.

The new COVID-19 restrictions, which still allows restaurants to offer takeout and delivery service, will be in effect until at least Jan. 31. Alan said the new Feb. 7 date for Winterdine is based on the assumption restrictions will be lifted by then.

Reservations can still be made for when Winterdine resumes.