The city of Brookhaven announced March 12 that it is canceling its annual Cherry Blossom Festival that was scheduled for March 28-29 due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. The Cherry Blossom Festival’s 5K run slated for March 21 has also been canceled. Both were to be held at Blackburn Park.
The city cited the cancellation was being made out of an “abundance of caution” following the coronavirus being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11.
“While we are disappointed with the cancellation this year of our signature event, Brookhaven also strives to protect the health of all of our residents and visitors, and especially those most vulnerable,” said Mayor John Ernst in a written statement.
“I want to thank all of our partners for their diligence and understanding. The Cherry Blossom Festival will return next year, and I look forward to working with everyone to plan another amazing party,” he said.
This year’s festival headliners were scheduled to have included Better Than Ezra and Rachel Platten.
For the latest information about the new coronavirus, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov. The city has also created a website on the coronavirus.