SXSW Festival Cancelled Due To Fears of The Coronavirus

SXSW has been canceled.

Just one week before Austin’s annual music, film and tech festival was set to kick off in the Live Music Capital of the World, the city’s mayor has pulled the plug due to fears of the coronavirus.

“I’ve issued an order that effectively cancels South by Southwest,” Steve Adler said of the festival that was set to kick off on March 13 through the 22nd.

The cancellation is the first in the festival’s 34-year history. It is expected to deliver a blow to the city’s economy as SXSW usually rakes in millions of dollars in tourism, ticket sales and more, according to The Verge.

In the wake of the news, organizers have also released a statement addressing the cancelation.

“We are devastated to share this news with you. ‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation. As recently as Wednesday, Austin Public Health stated that ‘there’s no evidence that closing SXSW or any other gatherings will make the community safer.’ However, this situation evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision.”