By ABC7 Staff | March 12, 2020 at 6:22 PM EDT – Updated March 12 at 6:22 PM
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – With coronavirus fears gripping the Suncoast and more cases appearing throughout the state, the organizers of the 40th anniversary Sarasota Jazz Festival have decided to cancel effective immediately.
“We’re canceling because of the governor’s statewide recommendation that large gatherings be canceled,” said Ed Linehan, festival managing director and president of the Jazz Club of Sarasota, the festival’s sponsor. “There have been cancellations worldwide, including the state of Florida and the Sarasota area. We were poised for our biggest festival ever, but we’ve decided to err on the side of safety. We made this very difficult decision out of concern for our patrons and musicians, as well as for our neighbors throughout the community.”
The festival kicked off Sunday, March with Jazz in the Park and was set to resume Thursday at 7:30pm with a concert headlined by NEA Jazz Master Dick Hyman.
Festival organizers say they’ll be issuing a further statement as they regroup and sort through their options.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience and will be in touch with our patrons in the coming days,” he said.
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