ABOVE: Spooky Empire (Photo courtesy Facebook).
The Halloween festival Spooky Empire announced that it is cancelling its two major events for the year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement released on its official website.
An August event at the Wyndham Orlando Resort and a Halloween event in Tampa have been scrapped due to the recent spike in coronavirus cases within the state of Florida.
“With the state we are in here in Florida, even a few days in the future is unpredictable,” the organization wrote in a statement. “Keeping our attendees, vendors, staff, volunteers and families safe is paramount to us, and taking the risk at bringing everyone together right now is not something we’re comfortable with, nor does it make it easy to plan a large event. Everything involved in this production is affected from travel to meet and greets and parties to photo ops. Not to mention the financial burden of safety protocols, capacity limits and cancellations.”
Although the organization is heartbroken at having to cancel these events, it also fully stands behind the decision.
“We are absolutely crushed by this final decision, but we know it’s ultimately the best one for everyone,” Spooky Empire wrote.
However, the organization also announced its planned events for 2021: one at the Wyndham Orlando Resort from April 30 to May 2 and another at the Hyatt Regency Orlando from Oct. 22-24.
Ticketholders who purchased a ticket for the August event at Wyndham Orlando Resort will be receiving an email survey with a list of options regarding their purchase. They can keep their ticket(s) and use it at one of the two events scheduled for 2021, transfer their ticket(s) to a family member or friend or request a refund. Vendors and tattoo artists who reserved booths at the event will also be receiving an email survey with similar options regarding the status of their booth(s). Hotel reservations that were booked under the Spooky Empire block at Wyndham Orlando Resort will be automatically cancelled.
Fans of Spooky Empire appear to be understanding of the cancellation. Wayne Ruffley commended the organization for “looking out for the safety of all involved,” while Iside Guerriera called the cancelleation “a smart choice.” Robby Sobel remained optimistic, commenting “[Spooky Empire will] rebound and next year will be even better.”
For more information, please visit Spooky Empire’s official website or Facebook page.
