CEO DATELINE - Specialty Food Association cancels in-person event amid COVID-19 surge
CEO DATELINE - Specialty Food Association cancels in-person event amid COVID-19 surge
- August 11, 2021 |
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Walt Williams
The Specialty Food Association has called off the in-person portion of its upcoming trade show, citing safety concerns amid rising numbers of new COVID-19 cases.
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SFA's Fancy Food Show was planned as a hybrid event with the in-person portion scheduled to take place Sept. 27-29 in New York City. However, the association announced Monday it had canceled the in-person event and will instead focus on the digital component, which will be held Sept. 28-Oct. 9.
"Given the current significant national upswing in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant, we believe that holding a large indoor event and protecting the general safety of all show participants will be nearly impossible," SFA said in a statement.
SFA is the latest association to cancel an in-person event amid the recent surge of new COVID-19 cases, mainly among unvaccinated individuals. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses and North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers both canceled upcoming events in Orlando because of the large number of new cases in Florida, a state whose political leadership has fought against mask mandates and requiring proof of vaccination. New York state, by contrast, was one of the first states to roll out an app showing vaccination status, and NYC recently announced it would require proof of vaccination for admission into bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Despite the cancellations, other trade shows are moving forward as planned. Outdoor Retailer, which is sponsored by the Outdoor Industry Association, kicked off its summer show Tuesday in Denver. The National Cattlemen Beef Association's trade show launched the same day in Nashville while the American Numismatic Association is holding its World's Fair of Money event this week in Chicago.
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