Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Brandon Pride cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Two more annual Manitoba events have been called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Thursday, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre announced this year's Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival is cancelled.

"We have not made this decision lightly, or without acknowledging the impact it will have on our artistic community financially, emotionally and creatively," festival executive producer Chuck McEwen said in a statement.

"The health and community impacts of the virus continue to evolve rapidly. With no certainty as to when social distancing practices, physical isolation measures and restrictions on public gatherings will be lifted, artists are unable to rehearse, performance venues are closed indefinitely, and we simply cannot plan a successful and safeFringeFestival."

The festival was supposed to be held from July 14-25.

Brandon Pride is also called off for this year because of COVID-19.

"We realize that this will be hard news, and indeed these are hard times for us all," says a statement on the event's Facebook page.

The event was scheduled to happen from June 8-14.