LUMBERTON — Downtown leaders are moving forward with the planning stages of city-sanctioned events, with the hope that COVID-19 restrictions imposed by state government are lifted.

“It’s just one big Hope. ‘Hope’ is the word,” said Connie Russ-Wallwark, Lumberton’s Downtown Development coordinator. “We are planning, and we have high hopes for the future with our events downtown.”

With this in mind, a schedule very similar to last year’s schedule, which was disrupted by a series of canceled events, has been released to the public.

“It is a tentative schedule,” Russ said. “We are looking at the same scenarios as last year’s.”

Organized annually by the Robeson Road Runners, the Rumba on the Lumber was the final event held in Downtown Lumberton in 2020.

The famous race and festival, which typically is a multi-day event complete with vendors, both shopping and eating; a regional chili cook-off; and inflatables for children, has been downsized to only a 5K run on March 6.

A statement released from the Rumba’s organizer’s reads, “With the safety and well-being of our festival guests and volunteers in mind, and considering the recommendations of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the State of North Carolina, the City of Lumberton, as well as our Robeson County Health Department, we have determined that on March 6, 2021, what we can share is a 5K race on our measured and certified course.

“We hope to attract attention to the event, the runners, Lumberton and Robeson County by offering more prize money than ever before while keeping the cost of entering the race the same as last year. We know this is far less than we usually do during the Festival. We are sorry to disappoint the citizens of Lumberton and Robeson County.”

On April 24, the Robeson County Arts Council will bring back its Arts on Elm event. In 2020 the event was canceled because of a continuous uptick in COVID-19 positive cases throughout the county.

“This event has been cancelled (last year) due to COVID, but right now we’re going to plan as if it’s going to happen,” Russ-Wallwark said.

The event serves as a block party and market for local and regional artists to display and sell their handmade works, while showcasing live entertainment. It is typically held on the one-way portion of Elm Street between 15th and 10th streets. This year it will be located along the Riverwalk, which is located on Water Street in downtown Lumberton.

On the same day, downtown Lumberton’s first Food Truck Festival is scheduled to take place in Lumberton’s downtown plaza. The event will consist of several food trucks offering a variety of culinary treats while musical entertainment representing a variety of genres is performed on the plaza’s stage.

“They are having those two events on the same day to coincide with each other so that there will be two big events going on downtown at the same time,” Russ-Wallwark said. “We feel like it will be really nice for the public.”

One by one the seven musical performances scheduled for the annual Alive After 5 concert series were canceled or postponed in 2020 because of government restrictions prohibiting large outdoor gatherings. The series is held annually in Lumberton’s downtown plaza and this year’s lineup is a mirror image of last year’s.

On May 6, The Entertainers are scheduled to kick off the show, followed by Trey Calloway on the 13th and Painted Man on the 20th. Band of Oz will close out May concerts with a show scheduled for May 24.

Rivermist will offer musical selections on June 3, and Steve Owens and Summertime is scheduled for June 10. Hip Pocket will close out the concert series with a performance on June 17.

All concerts are scheduled on Thursdays from 7 p.m. 9:30 p.m.

Holiday events are scheduled to return, bringing the Christmas spirit back to downtown Lumberton.

The Lumberton Christmas Parade is scheduled to take place Nov. 20, followed by the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Festival on Dec. 3. Dec. 3 also is the start date for Southeastern Hospice’s Festival of Trees fundraiser, which is to run through Dec. 6 at the Osterneck Auditorium on Chestnut Street.

Government restrictions will not prevent the Downtown Clean Sweeps, which are scheduled quarterly throughout the year. The first sweep will be held Feb 27 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sweep dates to follow are May 1, Aug. 14 and Nov. 13.

Volunteers are needed for the sweep, organized by Main Street Lumberton, during which participants will pick up litter throughout the downtown area.

People wishing to participate can meet in the parking lot across from Adelio’s Restaurant, where gloves and trash bags will be distributed. City government will coordinate with its maintenance staff to remove trash and debris once the sweep is complete.

This year’s schedule of event is subject to changes. For the latest updates, visit Rediscover Downtown Lumberton’s Facebook website.

“We are carrying on,” Russ-Wallwark said. “We’re making plans.”