The 2021 New York International Auto Show has been canceled as the delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the United States. The show was supposed to run from August 20th to August 29th at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City.
The show’s organizers announced the cancellation Wednesday “with great disappointment,” according to a statement, citing the spread of the delta variant and increased safety measures such as the new proof of vaccination requirements announced by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this week. The decision came suddenly, as just last week organizers revealed a poster for the event titled “The Future is Bright.” This year’s show was supposed to have a special focus on electric vehicles.
“At the onset of planning for the August Show, we were increasingly excited at the prospect of hosting the event as the number of vaccinations in New York continued to climb and mask-wearing reduced the spread in the City,” the organizers said in the statement. “All signs were positive, and the Show was coming together stronger than ever, but today is a different story.”
The 2020 New York Auto Show was one of the first to get delayed last year as the pandemic took hold, with organizers first pushing it to August before outright canceling it. (The Javits Center was used as a field hospital in the interim.) This year’s show was meant to be one of the first to return, following the Chicago Auto Show last month. Others slated for later this year, such as the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, now hang in the balance.
“The Covid pandemic has challenged our City, the country and the entire world, but just like the automobile industry, we know that the New York Auto Show will rebound and be bigger and better than before,” the organizers wrote. “We firmly believe that will be the case when the Show returns to its regular spring schedule in April 2022.”
