âIncredibly difficultâ: Moomba festival cancelled for first time in history Weâre sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Save Normal text size The iconic Moomba Festival has been cancelled for the first time in its 66-year history. Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp said reduced crowd numbers due to COVID-19 restrictions led her to make the âincredibly difficult decisionâ to cancel the festival. A colourful scene from Moomba in 2020. Credit:Eddie Jim Cr Capp said visitor numbers would have had to be significantly reduced and with key events including the Moomba Parade and the Birdman Rally already called off, âthe Moomba we know and love cannot go aheadâ.