The popular Milwaukee music festival Summerfest has been canceled due to coronavirus, organizers announced Thursday.
The event, which typically takes place in July, had already been postponed to September due to concerns over the virus.
"After careful, diligent, and thoughtful consideration and out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our community - including artists, fans, vendors, participants and staff – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance will not take place in September 2020, as previously announced," Don Smiley, president & CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., said in a statement. "It is our honor to be responsible for such a storied tradition. With five decades of festivals, countless legendary performances and millions of memories, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. explored numerous options to ensure the Summerfest tradition could continue in 2020 in a safe and healthy manner. Yet, given the information available today, and the uncertainty surrounding very large gatherings, we cannot in good conscience proceed with the festival this year. The immediate future presents multiple levels of risk for our fans, and we choose the side of safety."
Refunds for those who already purchased tickets are available, organizers said.
The weekslong summer event was set to bring performances from major artists like Sam Hunt, Guns 'N Roses and Justin Bieber.
Last month, Wisconsin's state fair, which is held in Milwaukee County, was also canceled, despite much of the state reopening.
The festival is the latest major music event to cancel over the pandemic, with Chicago's Pitchfork announcing a similar move in early May.
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Lollapalooza, which is set to be held in August in Chicago, has not yet announced a decision on whether the city's largest music festival will take place, but organizers say a decision is expected soon.
