After being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Guinea Jubilee is back and will celebrate its 41st year this September with new festival leaders.

Spouses Nick and Fran Bonniville and siblings Ryan Ashe and Melissa Ashe are this year’s festival chairs. The festival has been an intricate part of the four chair’s lives, both attending the jubilee and volunteering.

“We’ve been helping for a very long time,” said Ryan.

The chairs thought they were going to have to cancel the festival earlier this year due to COVID-19, but Gov. Ralph Northam lifted restrictions right before they were planning to announce cancellation of the event.

“The most important thing this year is that we’re back,” said Ryan.

The festival is scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25 and will take place rain or shine. The Miss Guinea Jubilee Pageant will be held ahead of the festival on Sept. 11 at the Abingdon Ruritan Club.

Guinea Heritage Day will be held on Sept. 12, also at the Abingdon Rurita...