Here's the spring, summer events that are making a comeback in Windsor-Essex

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, many of Windsor-Essex's notable spring and summer events are back on.

Since March 2020, many festivals and events were cancelled by organizations across the city and county due to peaks in the COVID-19 case count or strict public healthrestrictions. But with all COVID-19 measures expected to be lifted by the end of April, many are forging ahead with plans to bring back many of the region's beloved events.

"Tourism was hit first, hit the hardest and was going to take the longest to recover," said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor-Essex Pelee Island (TWEPI).

Orr said in 2020 all events were cancelled, but last year, organizations tried to do hybrid events making many of them virtual when they could.

"The signal that it sends that we're going to have in person events again is another step forward to that path to reopening," he said.

According to a list compiled by TWEPI, more than 35events have already been confirmed and more are getting approved each day.

Anne Rota, tourism and culture manager for the Town of Amherstburg, told CBC News that all of the town's events many of which were cancelled since 2020 are expected to run this year.

This includes Amherstburg Uncommon, a new festival that was a big hit when it launched in 2018.

"I think everyone is virtualled and zoomed out. We did try our best but there's nothing like the real thing, that's why we're so excited about it," said Rota.

She added that this year's Uncommon festival will have more entertainers, such as aerialists.

Rota said the town has put in three funding requests to government and hopes to receive the support for these events.

Windsor International Film Festival (WIFF) executive director Vincent Georgie says his organization is also working hard to plan events, at this time they are already looking toward the annual fall festival.

WIFFheldits first in-person screenings since March 2020 last week.

"The response was a resounding,'we're grateful to be back and thank you for putting this on for us,' and also that, 'we feel comfortable with this, let's take it a step at a time, but let's come back,'" he said.

Georgie added that organizers need to pay attention to their audience needs and timing when it comes to planning.

Here aresome notable events that have been given the green light

• Festival of Birds: April 30 toMay 23.
• Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration: May 21 to 22.
• Pelee Island Winery Half Marathon: June 4.
• Art in the Park: June 4 to 5.
• LaSalle Strawberry Festival: June 9 to 12.
• Ford Fireworks: June 27.
• Hogs for Hospice: July 29 to 31.
• Ouellette Car Cruise: Aug. 12.
• Harrow Fair: Sept. 2 to 4.
• Amherstburg Uncommon Festival: Sept. 16 to 18.

There areabout 40events from May to Sept. 21that have yet to be confirmed, according to TWEPI.

Only two events are cancelled at this time: The Island Unplugged and Tecumseh Corn Festival. Both were cancelled in anticipation of COVID-19 restrictions.