Thanks, Coronavirus: SXSW 2020 Has Been Cancelled

The annual Austin fest was supposed to begin next week. 
Thanks, Coronavirus: SXSW 2020 Has Been Cancelled

The annual Austin fest was supposed to begin next week. 

Words: Kim March

photo by Daniel Cavazos

March 06, 2020

The latest bit of bad news this week: South by Southwest 2020 has been cancelled. 

The news was confirmed by Austin, Texas mayor Steve Adler: “I’ve issued an order that effectively cancels South by Southwest,” Adler said in a press conference held today. “There was no path forward that would mitigate the risk enough to protect our community.” 

SXSW issued an official statement confirming cancellation, which you can read below. 

The news is startling, but not altogether out of left field; artists all over have been pulling out of performances due to fears of the virus spreading at crowded concerts, and thousands signed a recent petition calling for this very festival to be cancelled in light of public health and safety concerns.

People are certainly not happy that the arts festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees every year, is the first major event to be pulled thanks to corona. The city and citizens of Austin will lose tons of counted-upon money, and scores of hopeful artists will lose opportunities to showcase their work. Maybe they’ll reschedule it?