San Diego Comic-Con has been cancelled for the first time in 50 years. The event will not take place in 2020, marking the first cancellation in its entire 50-year history. Comic-Con is the largest fan convention in the United States and usually takes place in late July. For many, the event is an annual pilgrimage and is a cultural phenomenon. While the organizers of the festival hoped to get it on the road, the latest developments have forced the organizers to cancel the event.
The Comic-Con is the latest in the growing list of events canceled due to the outbreak of coronavirus around the world. It was believed that the pandemic would have subsided by this summer. However, with new cases on the rise, Comic-Con have decided to cancel the event. The organizers, in a statement published on April 17, announced “with deep regret that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020.” The organizers noted that they delayed the announcement because a number of fans and exhibitors relied on the show.
“Continuous monitoring of health advisories and recent statements by the Governor of California have made it clear that it would not be safe to move forward with plans for this year,” the organizers said in the statement posted on the website.
SDCC also confirmed that individuals who had purchased badges for Comic-Con 2020 will have the option to request a refund or transfer their badges to Comic-Con 2021. The annual event will return to the San Diego Convention Center in July 2021. SDCC also announced that WonderCon Anaheim, which was scheduled from April 10-12, 2020, will now return to the Anaheim Convention Center from March 26-28, 2021.
The cancellation of Comic-Con will come as a big blow to the city of San Diego. According to Vox, the event sees annual revenue to the tune of $150 million from the event’s 135,000 attendees. Due to the pandemic, the famous Hall H of San Diego Convention Center has been converted into a homeless shelter. Other big events including Cannes Film Festival, have also been put on indefinite hold. While the pandemic will eventually subside, the organizers will have to question whether people will come for such a huge gathering in the future.
