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FESTPAC organizers in Hawaii cancel 11-day June event over coronavirus fears

DENNIS ODA / Feb. 20
                                The Festival of the Pacific Arts & Culture, or FESTPAC, has been canceled because of coronavirus concerns, organizers announced today. Here, state Sen. J. Kalani English, FESTPAC Hawaii chairman, and other festival commissioners hold a news conference last month at the State Capitol to provide an update on plans to host the 11-day festival.

DENNIS ODA / Feb. 20

The Festival of the Pacific Arts & Culture, or FESTPAC, has been canceled because of coronavirus concerns, organizers announced today. Here, state Sen. J. Kalani English, FESTPAC Hawaii chairman, and other festival commissioners hold a news conference last month at the State Capitol to provide an update on plans to host the 11-day festival.

Coronavirus concerns have prompted the organizers of the 13th Festival of the Pacific Arts & Culture, or FESTPAC, to postpone the June event in Hawaii.

FESTPAC 2020 was slated to come to Hawaii for 11 days in June 2020. It’s not known how many attendees it would have brought this summer, but the event drew 90,000 to Guam when it was held there in 2016.

“FESTPAC planning will continue in order to ensure that Hawaii is prepared to be an outstanding host to our Pacific Island cousins and all who participate in this life-changing event,” said state Sen. J. Kalani English, FESTPAC Hawaii chairman. “We want to thank all of our sponsors, supporters, and all those who have expressed interest in helping with FESTPAC Hawaii. Their assistance and ongoing support are critically important because even with this postponement, the festival will come sooner than we think.”

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