Los Angeles Times postpones Festival of Books and Food Bowl due to coronavirus concerns
The Los Angeles Times has postponed its Festival of Books and Food Bowl events, “in light of public health concerns related to the coronavirus and out of an abundance of caution.”
The 25th Festival of Books, originally scheduled for April, will now take place the weekend of Oct. 3-4 on the USC campus. The fourth Food Bowl, previously set for May, will also be moved to the fall, with dates to be announced later.
While the Book Prizes awards ceremony will not be held this year, honorees and winners will still be acknowledged via an announcement to be released on April 17.
“Whenever we host the public at our events, we take health and safety seriously,” The Times said Tuesday in a statement. “As we make plans to host the Festival of Books and Food Bowl in the fall, we will continue to monitor developments with the coronavirus in Southern California, and cross-reference with any guests who may be traveling to Southern California from affected areas to participate in our events.”
The Festival of Books and Food Bowl, both annual events, are the latest in a slew of entertainment-related events affected by the outbreak, which has seen nearly 20 cases in L.A. County so far.
If you have a cough and slight fever, would a call to the doctor be a sign of panic? Or in the age of coronavirus, would it be prudent?
Further updates and details related to Los Angeles Times events can be found at latimes.com/events. Sponsors, exhibitors, participants and volunteers with additional questions can refer to the relevant contact information listed on the Festival of Books and Food Bowl websites.
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