Downtown Detroit's annual Winter Blast will not return in 2022, organizers announced Wednesday — but it's not just because of the ongoing pandemic.
According to the organizers, Winter Blast was canceled "due to funding challenges."
"We are grateful for the support of the City of Detroit and all of our past sponsors and partners who have helped make this winter experience in Detroit a successful, inclusive family-oriented festival for more than a decade, but due to time constraints caused by COVID and other factors, we did not have enough time to raise the necessary funds to produce the 2022 event in Detroit," festival producer Jon Witz said in a statement.
Witz added that there's a possibility the festival might move to another location, however.
"Currently we are in talks with another major municipality that may be able to help fund the festival in early 2022 for southeast Michigan," he added. "We will make a formal announcement if that option comes to fruition, and if it doesn’t, we will resume fundraising efforts in the year ahead so the festival can return to Detroit in 2023."
Winter Blast made its debut in downtown Detroit's Campus Martius Park ahead of the city hosting the 2006 Super Bowl, known for seasonal festivities like a sledding hill and live music. The festival has typically been held in early February.
The decision to cancel comes as Michigan leads the nation in COVID-19 cases.
Stay connected with Detroit Metro Times. Subscribe to our newsletters, and follow us on Google News, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Reddit.
