Twin Cities Choir Stranded in California After Blizzard Cancels Flight

Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir needs to raise $30,000 to cover unexpected travel expenses after winning competition in Los Angeles.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:34am

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A high school choir's trip to California for a competition turned into an unexpected adventure when their flight home was canceled due to a blizzard, leaving the Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir stranded in Los Angeles. The choir, consisting of 106 students and 25 adults, is now working to raise $30,000 to cover the additional expenses for their extended stay, having already raised about $20,000 of their goal.

Why it matters

This story highlights the challenges faced by travelers when unexpected weather events disrupt travel plans, as well as the importance of community support in helping groups like school choirs navigate such situations.

The details

The Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir traveled to Los Angeles for a competition, where they won five awards, including Grand Champions, Best Music, and Best Show. However, their flight home was canceled due to a blizzard, leaving them stuck in California. The choir is now working to raise $30,000 to cover the additional expenses for their extended stay, as the first available flight home was not until Friday, five days later than originally planned.

  • The choir traveled to Los Angeles for a competition.
  • Their flight home was canceled due to a blizzard.
  • The choir plans to fly from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, then to Denver, before chartering buses to drive all night to reach Minnesota by Tuesday afternoon.

The players

Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir

A high school choir from Bloomington, Minnesota that traveled to Los Angeles for a competition and won several awards, including Grand Champions, Best Music, and Best Show.

Matt Dymoke

One of the assistant directors of the Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir.

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What they’re saying

“We tried to ingrain with them that like going with the flow is a really good skill to be able to have and so this was a perfect storm of having to go with the flow.”

— Matt Dymoke, Assistant Director, Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir (fox9.com)

“It's been incredible to watch these kids be able to come out here, have a super successful competition. I think this is a really great example of community rallying together when there's a need.”

— Matt Dymoke, Assistant Director, Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir (fox9.com)

What’s next

The choir plans to fly from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, then to Denver, before chartering buses to drive all night to reach Minnesota by Tuesday afternoon.

The takeaway

This unexpected situation highlights the importance of flexibility and community support when travel plans are disrupted, as well as the resilience and adaptability of the Bloomington Kennedy Show Choir in the face of adversity.