"We are completely devastated to be putting this event on pause as our staff and management team have been looking forward to hosting this event and ringing in 2022 together, but it is necessary to keep the community of Flagstaff, all visitors, and our hotel staff’s health and safety a top priority. With the event historically drawing 10,000+ revelers in shoulder-to-shoulder conditions, it has been determined in accordance with the guidance of the CDC and statewide health professionals to be unsafe for the public in the current COVID climate and recent surging of the omicron variant this holiday season.

The pine cone will not be dropping and there will be no gathering allowed in the streets of the downtown."

The cancellations affect all three versions of the event that were slated for noon, 10 p.m. and midnight on New Year's Eve. The Weatherford will still be hosting its other New Year's festivities, with increased distancing and reduced capacity.