MACKINAW CITY, Mich — A popular Halloween-themed event held annually in northern Michigan has been cancelled this fall due to concerns over the coronavirus, including the rising number of cases of the delta variant in the area.

Fort Fright at Colonial Michilimackinac in Mackinaw City had been scheduled for October 8-9.

The event is drawn from a collection of short stories published by Mackinac State Historic Parks and based on French-Canadian folktales brought to the Mackinac Straits area by the voyageurs during the height of the French fur trade.

Staffing challenges and concerns about housing volunteers also played into the decision to cancel the event, according to organizers.

Colonial Michilimackinac is an 18th-century fort and fur trading village located along the Straits of Mackinac. It was reconstructed based on historic maps and more than 60 years of archaeological excavations.