MEMPHIS, Tenn. (CelebrityAccess) — The Beale Street Music Festival, the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, and a salute to Ghana have all been canceled due to the coronavirus.
The events, all part of the Memphis In May series, had previously been postponed until late September due to the outbreak.
In a statement, organizers said: “Due to the continuing threat of COVID 19, in the interest of public safety and under advice from local health authorities, the planned 2020 Memphis in May events scheduled for September 30 through October 23 are canceled.
“The difficult decision was made based on information in consultation with local health officials who advised that it would not be reasonable to host festival events as planned in 2020. Our board of directors met this morning and voted to cancel the 2020 events. The health and safety of our patrons and participants is always our top priority.”
According to the Associated Press, the decision to cancel came after Alisa Haushalter, director of the Shelby County Health Department said it would not be prudent to have festivals in 2020 and into 2021.
“The festival holder has to make a decision if they can meet the requirements that we’re going to set forth, and whether its economically feasible for them to carry the event out,” Haushalter said a press conference on Thursday.
The Beale Street Music Festival featured a lineup that included The Lumineers, Three 6 Mafia, The Avett Brothers, Lil Wayne and The Smashing Pumpkins, among others.
