City Council approves Lantern Festival and Santa's sleigh day replacing Autumn Moon Festival

The Orange County City Council meeting on May 22, 2025, focused on significant changes to the city's cultural events calendar, particularly the approval of new festivals and the elimination of existing ones.

During the meeting, council members discussed a motion to approve a Lantern Festival and Cultural Celebration Day, along with a Santa's Sleigh Day at the Community Cultural Performing Arts Center (CCPA). The motion also included the cancellation of the Autumn Moon Festival and the multi-evening Santa float event, which had been previously scheduled. The council emphasized the need for clarity in planning, directing city staff to prepare detailed proposals for the new events to be presented at a future meeting.

A friendly amendment was proposed to ensure that the Autumn Moon Festival and Santa float event would be formally removed from the city schedule, allowing staff to focus on the new events. The council members expressed the importance of having a clear direction for the budget, as the Lantern Festival is set to coincide with the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The discussion highlighted the need for community engagement and the potential cultural significance of the new events. Council members acknowledged the importance of understanding attendance figures from past events to inform future planning. The council ultimately agreed to incorporate the new events into the fiscal year 2025-2026 budget while postponing detailed discussions until more information could be gathered.

In conclusion, the meeting marked a pivotal shift in the city's cultural programming, with a focus on revitalizing community celebrations and ensuring that future events reflect the diverse cultural landscape of Orange County. The council's decision to eliminate certain events in favor of new ones underscores their commitment to enhancing community engagement through culturally relevant festivities.