2020 Cooper-Young Festival canceled
Thousands of people attended the 2019 Cooper Young Festival. (Houston Cofield/Daily Memphian file)
COVID-19 has claimed another festival.
The 33rd annual Evolve Bank & Trust Cooper-Young Festival will not be held on Oct. 31 as planned, even though organizers had hoped the later start would ensure it could go on.
The Cooper-Young Business Association board of directors voted to cancel the event that draws tens of thousands of visitors from around the country.
In a release, the festival said, “We are disappointed that we are not able to host our beloved Festival on October 31, 2020 as we had moved it back from the normal September date at the recommendations of City officials earlier this Spring. The health and safety of our Festival community and Memphis residents is and has always been paramount to us.”
Organizers were anticipating about 130,000 attendees, including artists from all over the United States, for the festival, which celebrates the Midtown neighborhood’s history, diversity, art and music.
The decision to cancel the event was due to recent continuing spikes of positive coronavirus cases not only in Memphis, but around the country, according to a release.
The board thanked businesses for their support of the historic district, including Evolve Bank & Trust, The Commercial Appeal, CW30, Memphis Grizzlies, Horseshoe Casino and Hotel Tunica, Puma Air Compressors, Memphis Animal Clinic, Mold Terminator, Ounce of Hope, Epicenter, ProShow Systems, Rock 102.7, 101.9 Kiss FM, News Radio 600 WREC, Delta Ice Services, Bath Fitter, Choose 901, Leaf Filter and Toof American Digital Printing.
Next year’s festival is slated for Saturday, Sept. 11.
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