A town in New York is saying “Bah, humbug!” after rising costs and tariffs implemented by the Trump administration forced the cancellation of an annual holiday celebration.
Organizers behind Rhinebeck’s long-running Sinterklaas celebration canceled the all-day festivities after 26 years due to a combination of rising costs and lack of funding.
“It is hard to believe that something as unique and beloved as Sinterklaas could fall casualty to lack of money—but that is the case,” Jeanne Fleming, the festival’s coordinator, said in an online statement.
The festival committee and Fleming, who lives in the area and also organizes the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, said they “tried many different avenues all year long, but were not able to get the final amount of money to make it happen.”
Many of the goods purchased annually for the Old Dutch tradition have spiked in price due to new tariffs imposed this year by the Trump administration, festival organizers said. Items like the Sinterklaas Stars and holiday lights made in India and China, respectively, have ballooned in price.
“Our Sinterklaas stars that are made in India (to benefit an orphanage) and the lights that are made in China — have nearly tripled in price, making them unaffordable for most families,” the organizers said.
The stars used to generate funds accounted for roughly a fifth of the overall budget. There were additional concerns, Fleming said, that they could get stuck in “the customs backlog and may not make it here in time anyway.” Arts grants, she said, were also cut back.
The festival, typically held in the first Saturday in December, needed to raise roughly $125,000 to fund the rentals, insurance fees, food, police, and more that goes into the day-long celebration that features dancing, music and games. it all culminates in the Children’s Starlight Parade, where kids dress up as kings and queens and parade down East Market Street.
“There are some years where I feel we have 20,000-30,000 people coming. And people come from all over the place, people know about the festival all the way to Boston and New York,” said Elena Rose, owner of Land of Oz Toys and Gifts, located along the parade route.
The festival had previously been canceled in 2024 due to funding challenges as well, but there is hope to bring it back in 2026.
“We’re working very hard on bringing it back next year. I think it is gonna come back next year,” said Rose.
The organizing committee said that over the next few weeks, it would refund all donations made for the festival this year.