SXSW 2020: South by Southwest festival in Austin canceled by city leaders due to coronavirus fears

South by Southwest canceled due to coronavirus fears

Numerous companies and individuals had already pulled out of the annual event before the city’s announcement on Friday.

AUSTIN, Texas - South by Southwest was canceled by Austin city leaders on Friday amid growing concerns about the coronavirus.

Officials said a disaster declaration has been issued by the city of Austin and Travis County in regards to coronavirus and large festival gatherings.

There have been no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus in Travis County or Austin. But officials said the “origin of travelers [coming to Austin] was a key concern and one we couldn’t mitigate." The event attracts people from around the nation and world.

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"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," SXSW officials said in a statement.

Numerous companies and individuals had already pulled out of the annual event before the city’s announcement on Friday, including: Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Netflix, Twitter and WarnerMedia.

SXSW officials said they respected the decision of the city and will consider rescheduling events for a later date.

The 2019 event reportedly generated more than $350 million in economic benefits for Austin and is considered the largest economic event for businesses each year. SXSW officials acknowledged the cancelation will have an effect on vendors and service industry staffers.