Airlines are cancelling flights, cruise lines are cancelling trips and even museums are closing amidst concerns over how fast coronavirus is spreading. Following reports that the United States still hasn’t experienced the worst of the outbreak yet, officials cancelled numerous major US events this week because of coronavirus fears.
From the rest of the NBA season to Coachella and even simple local events, chances are that if the event you were hoping to attend was going to expect more than a couple of hundred people, it’s cancelled. Here are seven events that certainly were cancelled this week due to coronavirus concerns.
Events Cancelled Because Of Coronavirus
1. Coachella
As one of the most anticipated festivals in North America, the news that Coachella has been postponed was met with sadness by many. The festival organisers released a statement saying that “we must sadly confirm the rescheduling of Coachella and Stagecoach due to COVID-19 concerns.” Coachella will now take place on October 9, 10 and 11 and October 16, 17 and 18, 2020. Stagecoach will take place on October 23, 24 and 25, 2020.
2. Cherry Blossom Festival
Thousands of visitors descend upon the streets of Washington, DC each year for the city’s famous Cherry Blossom Festival. This year, visitors won’t be able to attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. In their official statement, they said that they are basing their decision on “the District of Columbia’s Department of Health recommendations” and that they will “postpone or cancel some events occurring through March 31, 2020.
3. Boston Marathon
Even though the Boston Marathon isn’t until April, officials have already announced that they’re going to postpone the event. The news comes after health professionals confirmed that Massachusetts cases of COVID-19 have reached triple digits. The race, which over 30,000 runners entered last year, will now be held in September.
4. South by Southwest
This popular festival was just one of the many events cancelled because of coronavirus concerns in Austin. On March 6, the City of Austin cancelled all March public events, including SXSW. It’s the first time in 34 years that the festival won’t take place. The festival did say, however, that they are “exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants.”
5. New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Over two million people take to the streets of New York City each March for the city’s famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade. And, it’s just one of many major US events cancelled because of coronavirus scares. It follows a statement from Andrew Cuomo regarding restrictions on public gatherings of over 500 people.
6. NBA Games
The NBA has cancelled the rest of the season following reports that one Utah Jazz player tested positive for coronavirus. However, the NBA released a statement saying that the season has been “suspended” rather than “cancelled.” This means that, pending any further changes, they’ll still play the games and rankings will stay the same until then.
7. Broadway Shows
This week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo banned gatherings of more than 500 people all over the state. And, not only has that affected the New York City St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s also affected all Broadway shows. Shows will remain suspended through at least April 12th as of right now.
