LOUISVILLE, Ky. — COVID-19 is changing the future of 2020. After canceling events left and right, today Danny Wimmer Presents canceled the Trifesta that was planned to happen throughout the last three weekends in September. That includes Hometown Rising, Louder than Life and Bourbon & Beyond.
It was supposed to be the second year of this trio. Now, Danny Wimmer Presents is saying the advanced planning realities caused them to have to cancel more than four months in advance.
In a statement they said:
"We are truly heartbroken it had to come to this. We want to thank you for your patience, support and loyalty."
With the Kentucky Derby also planned for the first Saturday in September , these cancellations are raising questions about the reality of the fastest two minutes in sports.
"The Derby, obviously, is an iconic, global sporting event. Always has been. Always will be. One of the great celebrations of humanity. The Derby is not like trifesta," said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.
In it's 145 year history, the Derby has never been canceled. It has now been rescheduled three times to other dates, but never called off. Fischer says year 146 is still planned to happen.
"September the fifth, you know, we're four months away. We're going to learn a lot in the next four months. The Derby can go on in many different manifestations," Fischer said.
And Darren Rogers, with Churchill confirmed that in a statement to WHAS11:
"We are still planning for a great Kentucky Derby 146 as scheduled on Sept. 5. The nature of some of the other large scale local events that have made a decision to cancel for summer and fall of 2020 require them to make a decision within a much longer window of time due to substantial cancellation penalties as of a certain date. We are fortunate to have much more flexibility when it comes to planning and executing our event."
The Derby isn't just at the race track. Thousands of people pile into the city, using hotels, transportation and restaurants.
"This Kentucky Derby will be different, there's no question about that, but we've got multiple months to figure out what that looks like," Fischer said.
Both the city and Churchill Downs say you can be assured they will respond responsibly to real time information when the time comes.
Those who purchased a ticket for the Trifesta will get full refunds, and those with Danny Wimmer Presents, say they are working hard to bring as much of the 2020 lineups back in 2021 as possible.
►Contact reporter Jessie Cohen at JCohen@whas11.com and follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.