Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival again canceled due to coronavirus spike

What had become an annual tradition in Huntington Beach will be called off for the third year in a row because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival organizers have announced that the event, scheduled for March 11 through 13, has been canceled due to the current COVID-19 surge sparked by the Omicron variant.

“The decision to cancel was made out of an abundance of caution and so that our team can focus on bringing the event back during a time when guests, vendors and performers can all feel confident about the outlook for the event,” event director Kevin Elliott said in a social media post Friday.

The festival, which is held in Central Park, debuted in 2014 but has been canceled each year since its last presentation in 2019. It celebrates Japanese and Japanese American culture, featuring performers, food and activities. The money raised helps support a youth exchange between Huntington Beach and its sister city of Anjo, Japan.

Elliott made Friday’s announcement along with Frank Nakabayashi of the Huntington Beach Sister City Assn.

Elliott, a Huntington Beach native, is also the director of the Pacific Airshow. The show had to cancel its final day of performances in October following the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach.

The 2023 Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled for March 10 through 12.

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