Joining the long list of festivals and global events that have been cancelled because of the Coronavirus outbreak, Edinburgh Fringe 2020 stands cancelled as per an official statement from the Fringe Society posted 22 hours ago.

“Just a few months ago, the idea of Edinburgh without the Fringe and our sister festivals would have been totally unthinkable; now, like so many other aspects of our day-to-day lives, we must pause and take stock in the face of something far bigger,” Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Fringe Society said in the post.

McCarthy also announced that the society was working hard to “mitigate the impact of this decision on Fringe artists and audience members.” To that end, she shared that they will be refunding participants’ registration fees as well as tickets.

She ended the post on a hopeful note, writing, “From its earliest beginnings in 1947, the Fringe has provided a totally uncensored platform for artists from all backgrounds, cultures and perspectives to tell their story and shape their own worlds. As we try to adapt in the face of an all-encompassing global emergency, this spirit of shared storytelling and open dialogue feels more important than ever.”