2020 Virginia Festival of the Book cancelled

Staff announced closing in response to coronavirus warnings

By Robin Schwartzkopf | 03/10/2020

The 26th annual Virginia Festival of the Book, originally scheduled for March 18-22 in Charlottesville, has been cancelled following concerns and a University-issued warning about COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. In a statement issued March 10 and posted on the Festival website, the Festival staff stated the reasoning for the decision.

“We are committed to prioritizing and protecting the wellbeing of our community as well as visiting speakers and attendees,” the announcement read.

The statement, which was also shared on the Festival’s Twitter and Facebook page, also noted that there has yet to be a confirmed case of coronavirus in Charlottesville or the surrounding area, although there are eight presumptive cases in Virginia according to the Virginia Department of Health. Following the advice of the March 8 statement issued by the University to limit non-essential travel, which included a request for community members to consider similar limits, the Festival has made the decision to cancel. The University is a major sponsor of the Festival.

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