JUST IN: Vienna cancels New Year’s Eve event due to COVID-19 surge

The Town of Vienna has called off its planned New Year’s Eve celebration.

The town’s economic development office had partnered with Cedar Park Shopping Center to host a family-friendly “Noon Year’s Eve” event to usher in the new year. The party was scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. next Friday (Dec. 31) with games, a live DJ, a pop-up artisan market, giveaways, and more.

However, the event has now been canceled in response to rapidly rising COVID-19 cases throughout the D.C. area, including Fairfax County.

Fairfax County has reported more than 1,000 new cases for each of the past two days — the first time that has happened in the pandemic, according to Virginia Department of Health data. The only other time the county has seen over 1,000 cases in one day was Jan. 17, at the height of last winter’s surge.

“Due to an increase of COVID-19 cases in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, we have decided to cancel this event,” the town’s webpage for “Noon Year’s Eve” says. “Please call (571) 235-5705 if you have any questions.

“Noon Year’s Eve” joins a rash of nixed New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the region.

The City of Falls Church announced on Tuesday (Dec. 21) that organizers had decided to cancel its annual Watch Night, and the City of Alexandria has canceled its First Night Alexandria party, along with its waterskiing Santa.