Lucas Bell 
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted just about every facet of life here in the United States over the past few months. In an attempt to follow CDC guidelines and slow the rate of transmission, we have seen a number of large automotive events be postponed or cancelled outright. The New York International Auto Show was originally postponed until August, but officials announced on Friday that NYIAS 2020 won’t be happening at all.
According to the announcement made by organizers, NYIAS 2020 has been cancelled as the venue continues to serve as a field hospital in New York. While the state has passed its first peak in the epidemic, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center will remain outfitted for service through the summer months in preparation for a second wave.
The show was originally scheduled to take place in early April, before being rescheduled to August as the outbreak intensified in New York City and the surrounding areas. The event was slated to be the home of a number of vehicle launches, including that of the Bronco Sport. First held in 1900, the NYIAS is America’s oldest and most attended auto show. Drawing in crowds of that size remains inadvisable, and as such the cancelation isn’t much of a surprise.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a number of auto shows being cancelled, including major events like Geneva and Detroit. These shows provide a boost to the local economy when they are in town, something that will surely be missed during these tough economic times.
Instead of trying to piece together some semblance of a show this summer, the event organizers have turned their attention to next year. According to the announcement made Friday, the NYIAS team is putting their efforts towards a bigger and better show for next year. It will take place from April 2 through April 11, 2021.
