The Harrisonburg International Festival – a cultural staple in the Valley – has been canceled until next year. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
The Fairfield Center announced last week that this year's International Festival, originally scheduled for September 23rd, has been canceled. For more than a decade, the festival has showcased the many cuisines, dances, musical talents, and coutures present in the melting pot of the Harrisonburg community. It was formerly held at Hillandale Park, and moved to Court Square downtown in recent years.
JALAL MAQABLEH: I know there are a lot of people who are disappointed from this announcement.
Jalal Maqableh is the Fairfield Center's interim executive director. He explained that the organization did not have adequate capacity to prepare for the festival while transitioning to a new director.
MAQABLEH: So we decided that, maybe working hard on finishing all the transformation in the organization and hiring the new leadership for the organization, will give us some space to start preparing for the 2024 Harrisonburg International Festival.
He assured listeners that the festival will return next year – most likely on the fourth Saturday of September. The center plans to share more information about how you can get involved in the coming months.
