2010 Yokosuka Christmas Grand Illumination IV Canceled

Discussed at 10/14/2010 Yokosuka town hall meeting.

CFAY Capt announced that he met with the Yokosuka City Mayor on 10/13/2010 to address the cancellation of the Yokosuka Christmas Grand Illumination.

Due to the weather, and cold environment, it does not offer the best community gathering for the base.

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I do remember last year.  I was there visiting the ships, and attended the Festival of Trees.  I had a great time.  Yes it was cold, and a little damp. 

Last years 2009 Yokosuka Christmas Grand Illumination III:

Fleet Activities, Yokosuka opened its gates to 20,000 host nation and local community guests to show our appreciation for their support while sharing the holiday spirit through an American tradition of holiday decorating. The Grand Illumination was complete with ship’s visits of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73) and the Japanese Ship (JS) Hyuga (DDH-181) plus Santa’s Village, Festival of Trees, food booths, game booths and entertainment variety throughout the day!




See all the 2009 Christmas Photos below from the link:
http://www.japanbases.com/community/pictures/albumid/573-790.aspx


See all the 2009 3rd Annual Grand Illumination Photos:
http://www.japanbases.com/community/pictures/albumid/573-793.aspx

Wow! That was one of the few things that made Christmas actually seem like Christmas here in Japan. We've been every year we've been stationed here. We looked forward to it as a family. It won't be the same without it this year!!

That's a bummer. Will they still decorate? It really helps everyone on base a bit from missing home, I think.

That's awful. We're due with our first baby in about 10 days, and I was looking forward to getting some pictures of her at the Festival of Trees for her first Christmas I'm going to guess that they won't approve another Grand Illumination since Christmas can't exactly be rescheduled to when the weather is nicer?

They will probably still decorate, because that's for Captain's Cup points. The lights are nice, but the festival of trees, the booths and Santa's Village is what my kids looked forward to. We went out regardless of weather to soak up the atmosphere... Which 20,000 plus others did last year when it was raining.

It was cold and crappy at the Cherry Blossom festival this year, will that be on the chopping block next, too?

This is crazy! It doesn't get THAT cold here in Japan! I bet it's to save money and manpower. So, will we still have the Christmas trees, etc...? and just not have open base?? I hope so. It'll be a real morale killer if it's just another day of the year.