ONE of the most popular events in Winchester's calendar has been cancelled due to coronavirus.

Hat Fair 2020 will no longer run in the summer.

Play to the Crowd, the arts and education charity that runs Hat Fair, Theatre Royal Winchester and Playmakers, has just made the announcement.

Director Andrew Loretto said: "It is a sad decision to postpone our wonderful Hat Fair 2020 programme to next year, but we must prioritise the health, well-being and safety of all of our artists, participants, staff, volunteers and audiences in light of current events.

"Hat Fair is a beacon of international joy and coming together through live outdoor performance, embraced by Winchester. As a new resident of this beautiful city, I am proud over the past three years to have played my part in civic society by working with diverse local organisations to welcome visitors annually from far and wide.

"When we come back in summer 2021, we will need Hat Fair more than ever to celebrate humanity, open air, dialogue, friendship and art. Current events have proven that we are all interconnected internationally, and Hat Fair 2021 will celebrate the best of that on our streets, parks and pavements."

Hat Fair 2021 will take place on Friday July 2 and 4 throughout the city.

Deryck Newland, chief executive of Play to the Crowd added: "This isn’t a decision that has been taken lightly but it is the right decision in these times. We are also painfully aware of the very challenging impact on the whole creative and arts sector and are thinking of all those independent performance companies, artists and practitioners whose livelihoods are at risk."

The charity is appealing for donations via its website during these tough times: www.playtothecrowd.co.uk/help for information.