Overview
- Festival leaders said prices for key items—lights from China and decorative stars from India—have nearly tripled, making them unaffordable for many families.
- Sales of the Indian-made stars typically supplied about one-fifth of the event’s budget, and organizers warned the shipment could be delayed by a customs backlog.
- Cuts or losses in arts grant funding further widened the shortfall, according to the organizing committee’s farewell statement.
- The committee has canceled this year’s large-scale celebration and has not scheduled a replacement event.
- The tradition, coordinated by Jeanne Fleming, returned in 2021 after a one-year pandemic pause and was scaled back in 2024 due to financial pressures.