The Florida Audio Expo has become the latest trade show victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, but interestingly, it’s the first show, aside from CES 2021 in early January in Las Vegas, to be canceled for that year. (CES 2021 will still take place, however in an all-virtual format.)
The event, which was to take place in Tampa, has officially been canceled.
“Given the extraordinary times and continued uncertainty, the founders of the Florida Audio Expo, Bart Andeer, Michael Bovaird, John Chait, and Ammar ‘AJ’ Jadusingh, have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 show,” reads an official press release.
“We sincerely appreciate the exhibitors, consumers, and media that support us,” says Andeer, co-founder and Operations Manager of the show. “This decision isn’t the outcome we hoped to announce, but in our estimation, is the best option for our event given the information available at this time. We will always put our customers’ well-being first. We remain vigilant and hope that 2022 will bring new opportunities to come together and celebrate our love for music.”
Florida Audio Expo has refunded all deposits collected towards the 2021 event.
“We continue to enjoy the wonderful memories from this year’s show,” says Andeer, “and encourage everyone to continue to support each other and stay connected. Let music guide be your guide through these troubling times. On behalf of the entire Florida Audio Expo team, we wish you peace, safety, and good health until we meet again.”