St. Charles Carnival In Cinnaminson Canceled Again Amid Pandemic

CINNAMINSON, NJ — What has been a tradition for more than 50 years in Cinnaminson has now been canceled for the second consecutive year.

The St. Charles Borromeo Carnival has been canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, carnival organizers announced on the website.

Citing Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement late last month that the outdoor gathering capacity was increasing from 50 to 200, officials said they had been hoping the state would re-open quicker. Read more here: NJ Lifts More Outdoor Gathering, Entertainment Venue Restrictions

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“While we believe that the state will gradually continue to reopen, at this time we see no clear pathway that would allow capacity numbers that would make our beloved carnival possible,” officials said. “Therefore, we are announcing that the St. Charles Carnival, a fifty plus year tradition in Cinnaminson, will again be canceled this year.”

In a joint statement, Father Dan Kirk, Dennis and Pam Murawski and Ray and Patti Bonnette called the decision “extremely difficult.” They said they met with individuals at the local, county, and state levels.

“Our highest priority has always been to provide a family-friendly and safe environment for both our guests and volunteer workers,” they said. “Under the current conditions in New Jersey, we would not be able to ensure that priority is met at this time. Planning this event is a year-long process, and we would like to sincerely thank all of the people who have devoted their time and efforts to try to make this carnival a reality under these challenging situations. With setup scheduled to begin in just a few short weeks, there is no way to guarantee that the state will be opened up enough to allow our Carnival activities.”

As of Tuesday, there have been 1,381 cases of the coronavirus and 41 coronavirus-related deaths in Cinnaminson since the beginning of the pandemic more than a year ago. Health officials reported 18 new cases in the township this week, including five on Monday and 13 on Tuesday.

The carnival was also canceled last year, but planning for next year’s carnival is set to begin soon. Read more here: St. Charles Borromeo Cancels Annual Carnival Due To Coronavirus

“We are looking forward to our community event next year and for many more years to come,” officials said. “Even though our carnival has been cancelled, we will still be holding our Mega 50/50 raffle. Tickets will be mailed and also available online at www.scbcarnival.com. Last year’s winner received over $27,000. We appreciate your continued support during these trying times.”