The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Several Houston-area news outlets reported the news on Wednesday (March 11), shortly after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.
The event was scheduled to run through Sunday, March 22 and feature performances from some of music’s biggest stars, including country music’s own Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan.
Midland, Willie Nelson and Maren Morris performed at the event earlier this month.
According to a report by The Houston Chronicle, the event typically draws around 100,000 people to NRG Park on Saturdays and Sundays. This is the first shutdown of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since the event’s inception in 1937.
The news comes after major music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach were cancelled due to concerns over coronavirus. Zac Brown Band also revealed plans to postpone their spring tour due to “increasing public health concerns.”
UPDATE: Officials in Houston confirmed the cancellation of the event during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Event grounds will close at 4 pm local time today. According to a Tweet from Rodeo Houston, officials are still working out details regarding refunds. “A ticket refund process is still in the works and will be communicated once it is finalized,” the update reads.
