This year’s New York City Colombian Independence Day festival has been cancelled due to a lack of funds, after key sponsors decided not to sponsor the event.
The Colombian Civic Center–the non-profit that runs the annual festival–announced that it could not raise the $120,000 needed to organize the event after Coca Cola and Spanish food provider Goya opted not support the event.
Last year the CCC put on an impressive event to celebrate Colombia’s bicentennial. The Empire State building was even lit up in Colombia’s national colors to celebrate the event.
Colombia’s Independence Day is celebrated July 20h and commemorates Colombia’s separation from Spain. The New York festival is usually held every year in Flushing Meadows in the Queens borough, which is home to the majority — around 80,000 — of Colombians living in New York.