Stratford Festival cancels performances amid coronavirus spread

Stratford Festival has cancelled performances until May 2.

On Friday, festival officials said the cancellations were intended to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Performances are cancelled from April 11 andMay 2, as are allpublic events scheduled in the festival's facilities in March and April.

Cancelling events in the facilities is meant to protect the artists and crew, while cancelling performances is meant to protect audiences and the wider Stratford community, according to executive director Anita Gaffney.

The festival will be contacting ticket holders to arrange re-bookings for shows.

Gaffney said the decision will have a "multi-million-dollar impact on our organization and the surrounding tourism economy."