After encountering unforeseen challenges related to the event, Ferrari Owners Group (FOG) and the Ferrari Owners Charitable Foundation (FOCF) have decided to cancel the previously announced Golden Gate Ferrari Festival, originally scheduled for Saturday, September 10.<\/p>\n
As many as 400 Ferrari vehicles were to be slated for display during the event, organized to benefit Make-A-Wish\u00ae<\/sup> Greater Bay Area, but following recent concerns about the structural integrity of the venue, specifically in regard to the Festival\u2019s weight-bearing load, it was determined a final resolution could not be reached without exploration by a structural engineering firm to ensure the overall safety of the event, and timing became an issue. According to FOCF founder Joe Keon, the difficult decision to cancel the Festival was reached when the possible delays and projected costs to mitigate any findings remained unclear less than 90 days before the event.<\/p>\n \u201cWe deeply regret being unable to move forward to make our vision of Ferraris on the Plaza a reality at this time,\u201d said Keon. \u201cWe are committed to respecting the time and energy of our production team and that of the Make-A-Wish organization, the quality of the Ferrari brand, our ability to successfully fund the important work of Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, and above all the safety, confidence and enjoyment of our participants, spectators and volunteers.\u201d<\/p>\n Nevertheless, in an effort to raise a sizeable donation for the Make-A-Wish chapter, FOG and FOCF will still hold its originally planned Gala and live auction, on Wednesday, September 14 at The City Club of San Francisco, together with a two-day, 60-Ferrari car rally from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe. The rally has been held annually since 2011, traversing the State of California while raising more than $750,000 for San Francisco Bay Area charities. The Gala will engage more than 200 guests, and will include a three-course dinner, live auction, paddle raise and live entertainment \u2014 as well as the opportunity to meet F1 driver and 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi.<\/p>\n