SXSW, the annual tech, music, and film meetup held in downtown Austin, has cancelled its 2020 year due to the coronavirus outbreak that is impacting thousands all over the world. They are the biggest conference so far to be cancelled due to the virus and is the first time in its 34 years it has been cancelled.
The festival was scheduled to take place from March 13th to March 22nd, but Austin Mayor Steve Adler shared earlier today that due to an increasing number of high-profile speakers and companies withdrawing from the festival, SXSW will no longer be taking place.
“I’ve issued an order that effectively cancels South by Southwest,” Adler said, referencing an emergency order put in place Friday over the coronavirus. The decision will almost certainly be a harsh blow to the city’s economy, as SXSW brings in hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism, ticket sales, and other revenue streams every year. Last year, the festival made $355.9 million for the city of Austin, SXSW said in November.
Although no official details have been released regarding refunds, a statement was issued on Twitter earlier today that noted the decision to cancel the festival this year was based on the decision made by Austin city officials.
An Update on SXSW 2020. Please read our full statement here: https://t.co/P56nF8KFmE pic.twitter.com/ouJPKM9GNy
— SXSW (@sxsw) March 6, 2020
A petition on Change.org calling for the event’s cancellation earned over 55,000 signatures and scheduled speakers like Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pulled out of SXSW earlier this week. As well, Amazon, Apple, and Netflix all pulled film and TV premiere projects for the event and tech companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok pulled all on-the-ground presences at the festival.
