Regrettably, Council has had to make the tough decision to cancel Orange Blossom Festival’s (OBF) main ‘Lights, Beats and Eats’ event for 2021.
The organisers of many much-loved OBF community events, including the OBF Fun Run, Art Exhibition, Bonsai Show and many more have also advised they will not be proceeding this year.
While I understand how much our residents are looking forward to the return of community events, advice from NSW Health and the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Sydney have prevented us from celebrating this year.
An enormous amount of effort is involved in staging a large festival with countless hours of work by Council, businesses and volunteers, meaning that even if our situation improves rapidly, it would be difficult to run an event the size of Orange Blossom Festival within a short timeframe.
We understand this situation is challenging for everyone, but health and safety must come first. Thank you for your continued patience during this difficult time and I’m looking forward to the day when we can all gather to celebrate at a future Orange Blossom Festival.
Please continue to follow the rules and be safe. Until next time…
Mayor of The Hills Shire,
Dr Michelle Byrne
