Coronavirus: Fallbrook chamber cancels Avocado Festival

The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce will cancel the upcoming 34th Avocado Festival amid coronavirus fears, the organization announced Friday.

The festival, scheduled for April 19 this year, regularly attracts as many as 100,000 attendees.

The chamber's announcement comes as area school districts declare their intention to shutter schools through next month and many other local organizations cancel upcoming events.

On Thursday, San Diego County health officials declared a ban on all public gatherings of more than 250 people.

"Although this ban is currently through March, (California Gov. Gavin Newsom) conveyed it could foreseeably be extended," Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce CEO Lila MacDonald said in an email statement. "We feel in the best interest of the community, our vendors and volunteers that we cancel this event."

McDonald said the chamber "will continue to coordinate with local and county organizations on any infectious disease response plan and will continue to closely monitor the Coronavirus situation."

Anita Kimzey, event coordinator for the chamber, clarified on Sunday that the Art of the Avocado and Junior Art of the Avocado competitions were not being canceled.

Other organizations announcing event cancellations include the Fallbrook Library, which will cancel all upcoming events through March 31; the Gem and Mineral Society, which cancelled its Rough 'n Cut event for March 21; Fallbrook Chorale, which is cancelling its March 28 dinner show; and Mission Theater, which is cancelling all movie showings indefinitely. The Bark in the Park event at Live Oak Dog Park, planned by the Live Oak Park Coalition and the County Department of Parks & Recreation for March 21, is being cancelled as well.

Boys and Girls Clubs of North County will also suspend all activities beginning Monday, March 16th, through April 13, 2020.