South by Southwest 2020 is officially off.
The film, music, and technology event held annually in Austin was canceled Friday due to ongoing concerns over the spread of the new COVID-19 coronavirus. Austin Mayor Steve Adler in a press conference said he was declaring a "local disaster in the city" and issuing an order forcing the event's cancellation, per The Hollywood Reporter.
South by Southwest's organizers in a statement said they are "devastated" that the event won't be held for the first time in 34 years but said they "respect the City of Austin's decision."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This comes after Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, WarnerMedia, and more had all pulled out of the event citing concerns over the new virus. Austin public health officials had previously said that "right now there's no evidence that closing South by Southwest or other activities is going to make this community safer," but South by Southwest's organizers noted Friday that "this situation evolved rapidly."
The cancellation of South by Southwest comes as a major blow to Austin, as ABC News reports the event typically injects up to $350 million into the city's economy. Alder said Friday, though, these "ramifications are secondary to making sure that we are safe as a community."
-
Hyatt Regency Lisbon: a tranquil oasis in the historic district of BelémThe Week Recommends With its sprawling spa and prime location overlooking the River Tagus, this luxury hotel is a great place to escape the bustle of the city
-
Quiz of The Week: 6 – 12 SeptemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
The week’s best photosIn Pictures A palace on fire, a shopping cart protest, and more
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
