Negotiations seeking a compromise that would bring a multimedia light show to Huntington Beach‘s Central Park before the end of the year have dimmed.
“Symphony of Flowers” will not be coming to Central Park until 2026 — at the earliest.
Grassroots organization Protect Huntington Beach had filed suit against the city in March, alleging that it had violated the California Environmental Quality Act when it approved a license for Flowers of the Sky LLC to operate the show.
Now, after the “Symphony of Flowers” operator indicated it will not be pursuing a show this year, Protect HB and the city have agreed to temporarily stay their settlement discussion until December. An order to that effect was signed Sept. 3 by Orange County Superior Court Judge William Claster.
This will allow time to negotiate for a new contract, Protect HB chair Cathey Ryder said, adding that she hopes “will do a much better job protecting Central Park.”
The “Symphony of Flowers,” an orchestrated LED light show, has been proposed for more than six acres in the northeastern corner of Central Park East. The event would take place Thursdays through Sundays six months of the year. Up to 2,000 spectators could be accommodated in bleachers that would be installed.
The proposal was unanimously approved by the City Council in February. Protect HB objected to the use of an environmental impact report from 1999, claiming it was outdated and failed to contemplate the scope and impacts of the show.
An addendum prepared for the city in December 2024 found the show would have no impact or a less than significant impact in several environmental areas, but a March letter to the city from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife disputed many of those conclusions.
“CEQA requires meaningful public participation and a thorough review of environmental impacts before projects of this magnitude move forward,” Ryder said in a statement. “The city attempted to bypass these requirements, and our action ensures that Central Park will not be put at risk without proper oversight.”
Protect Huntington Beach also has raised concerns about financial impacts of the show. The city of Laval, Quebec, Canada, had been in a land dispute with “Symphony of Flowers” promoter Cavalia in the aftermath of another light show, “Illumi.”
Montreal-based Cavalia filed for bankruptcy in May.
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