SXSW 2020 cancelled amid Coronavirus concerns
It's the first time in 34 years that the festival has been called off
The City of Austin have cancelled this year's SXSW festival due to concerns of the spread of Coronavirus, or COVID-19.
The nine-day event, which typically attracts up to 400,000 attendees, will not go ahead.
The Texas festival outlined their disappointment in a statement on their website, writing: "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."
Two of SXSW's founders told the Austin Chronicle that the festival does not have insurance to cover an outbreak of communicable disease such as this.
Despite this, South by Southwest said it was exploring options to reschedule the event, as well as working to provide a "virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants, starting with SXSW EDU".
Across the world other music event cancellations have been taking place, with Miami's Ultra called off, Tomorrowland Winter in France axed and Beat Hotel Morrocco forced to postpone its March edition, while there are growing concerns that Coachella may be called off.
The UK government's position, however, is that large gatherings and events will happen as planned, with the Bangface Weekender - one of our top club picks for this month - set to go ahead over the weekend of the 14th March, the team has announced.
