Capital Audiofest Cancels Its 2020 Show, Announces Dates for 2021

Capital Audiofest (CAF) has canceled its 2020 show, previously scheduled for October 30 through November 1, and announced dates for 2021.

Early Sunday, CAF issued this statement, signed by show founder and organizer Gary Gill:

To all friends of The Capital Audiofest:

We apologize for our silence but are happy to announce that the Capital Audiofest (CAF) has finalized an agreement with the Hilton Hotel that allows us to move the show from 2020 to 2021 without any issues. We feel it is better to wait a year in order to provide everyone with the same CAF qualities inclusive of protections and safeguards rather than cobble together a lesser show.

We greatly appreciate everyone being patient in this difficult time and want you and your families to be safe and able to return to CAF in 2021. The official dates are now November 5-7, 2021, and want all vendors to know that their rooms are there for you to return to. Please let us know your intent so we can hold your place. See you all in 2021.
In an interview this morning, Gill told Stereophile that he has been in talks with the hotel's management (and the management of the company that owns the hotel, a Hilton franchisee) for weeks about the 2020 show, but until recently, the hotel was "holding me fully liable for the contract."

Perhaps because of the widespread emergence of the COVID-19 virus, the company recently agreed to cancelation of the 2020 show if CAF would commit to a 2021 show. "My official verbal agreement was that, 'We’re going to allow you to cancel your show, but you need to sign your agreement for 2021.' I agreed. Done. I want to stay at that venue.'" Gill and CAF reached a verbal agreement, and the 2021 show was scheduled. Gill told Stereophile that while he has not yet signed the 2021 contract—it includes some modified language and so is being reviewed by an attorney representing CAF—he expects to sign it later this week. "We are locked in with the dates," he said.

Asked about refunds for exhibitors, Gill told Stereophile that there was nothing to refund. Because of the uncertainty over whether the show would go forward, "I did not enter into contract or agreement with anyone. I took no one’s money. I just wanted to keep it clean," Gill said.

COMMENTS
JRT's picture

The conditions that caused cancellation seem unlikely to improve much in the next year, maybe two, with all overly optimistic magical thinking set aside.

The primary demographic of buyers is a demographic of older men highly vulnerable to serious infection, perhaps lethal infection from this infectious airborne virus.

Jim Austin's picture

which is looking promising--many candidates--would provide a reprieve, at least until the next virus emerges.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

JRT's picture

Watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKJMLeh3UBM

jimtavegia's picture

My wife of 69 stays home. It seems that too many young people have little concern over this virus and we have a 30ish friend who still thinks it is a hoax. We don't even try and debate this issue anymore.

I do hope that people who do have to go to work are safe due the 3 things that can help: social distance, wear a mask, and wash hands often and wear gloves like I do every time I go out. One can call me silly and that is fine.

I do think the idea of opening up was premature as the numbers now show, but people do need to work and take care of their families, but I think carelessness is a huge part of this spike. I applaud those who are considerate and put safety first over an event. These are sad times for everyone.

Anton's picture

Best wishes to you and your family.

jimtavegia's picture

I never thought I would say that I am almost board listening to music, playing some piano, and putting up a few youtube video now and then. My wife and I have not gone out much for almost 4 months. We had been background acting here in ATL since last June, very busy until Covid-19 and now we are told there will be no BGs used for "actor safety reasons". So what was fun is no longer. So CGI has taken our place. lol Staying in is getting old, but we will not risk it for now and fear for schools opening in the fall. Hope everyone stays safe.

Briandrumzilla's picture

The spike in cases is among the younger set. Riots, looting and mass protests and gatherings are the likely culprit. I am 61, go work 5 days per week and to the gym daily. Also, been to Las Vegas since it reopened and going back in two weeks because the cost is too low to ignore.

John Atkinson's picture
Briandrumzilla wrote:
The spike in cases is among the younger set. Riots, looting and mass protests and gatherings are the likely culprit.

It turns out that the spread of infection due to the protests is surprisingly low, most likely because a sufficient proportion of the protesters have been wearing masks. The increases in cases in Arizona, Florida, Texas, etc - not a "spike" given the steadily increasing number of new cases - is due to the premature opening of bars, restaurants, gyms, etc, and to people not wearing masks nor observing social distancing.

Stereophile is based in New York and our experience has shown definitively that masks and distancing are essential to keeping the spread of the virus low.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Anton's picture

My hunch is that your sensible reply will not be able to penetrate the red hat.

Briandrumzilla's picture

Really? I don't think the NY is the best example one would put forward about curbing the spread of the virus. It has been pretty much of a disaster in NY. Furthermore, all the best people assured me that the reopening protests were super spreaders of the virus but now, depending on the type of protest, people can magically have low or non existent virus transmissions.

John Atkinson's picture
Briandrumzilla wrote:
Really? I don't think the NY is the best example one would put forward about curbing the spread of the virus. It has been pretty much of a disaster in NY.

Yes, the rates of infections, hospitalizations, and fatalities was indeed a disaster in New York City in early March. But the stay-at-home order, mask wearing, and continued social distancing not only flattened the curve but turned its slope negative so that now the rate of infections, etc is as low as it was before the exponential growth in March.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Anton's picture

Perhaps a sojourn in Texas, Arizona, or Florida would suit you.

Hit the pool parties, the beach, the bars and restaurants...

Why would you think NY is a poor example?

The virus hit, spread, caused calamity, people followed the recommended measures, and the rate of infection went down.

Here...

https://apnews.com/0468a60b64947879926d2a16e45c00ee

jimtavegia's picture

More cases have much to do with much more testing, but I am concerned that when I do go out few are social distancing, wearing masks, or gloves like I do. I am quickly in and out. I will not let my wife go out. Over the last 10 years she has had two bouts with cancer, 6 months of chemo, and emergency gall bladder surgery. That is enough for her. Coming up on 50 years of marriage in October, and we would like to make it that far.

Jim Austin's picture

In New York City, where it is very difficult to not come in contact with other people, we hit a peak of fewer than 9000 new cases one day in early April--the 7th I believe--and then started down. We are now hovering around 400 new cases per day with a very low rate of infection, this despite the fact that many here live in very close quarters.

Meanwhile, states with far lower density are seeing the number of cases exploded; Florida exceeded 11,000 new cases in a single day this weekend--far more than the state of New York had on its worst day. After taking 114 days to reach 100,000 cases, Florida took less than 2 weeks to hit 200,000.

Except for Florida and perhaps Texas (maybe an exception because of their big cities), all the states with the fastest rates of increase right now are rural states: Idaho, Tennessee, Georgia, Montana, Alaska, Kansas, and my home state of Alabama, among others.

Nevada is on the list, too, but I didn't mention it because I'm not sure how many of their new cases are in Las Vegas. It's hard to imagine a worse place to be during a pandemic. Have fun on your trip.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

Briandrumzilla's picture

Oh, I can imagine one city and state that would be the worst place to be in a pandemic, and still is.

Jim Austin's picture

This is indeed a challenging place to be during a pandemic--much more challenging than other places that have had more time than we had to learn how to manage things and, despite those advantages, are doing a far worse job of managing it.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

ChrisS's picture

...in Alaska?

michaelavorgna's picture

...it's become the norm to take a post like this seriously.

Which is clearly a mistake as it only serves to feed ignorance.

Have a nice day.

ChrisS's picture

...shopping malls, family gatherings, etc.

That's where it's happening.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

January 2021 CES may even be cancelled ...... or, like UK Hi-Fi show says, postponed till 2022 :-) .......

Anton's picture

If they cancel CES, would any audiophiles notice?

;-)

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Videophiles may notice ...... May be not audiophiles :-) ........

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Wonder what is gonna happen to FLAX, scheduled in February 2021 in Tampa, Florida? :-) ........

tonykaz's picture

Business wise:

We will have "The Vaccine" and begin restoring to where we were. ( hopefully )

The Airline Industry is planning on their resumption at the end of 2021, they've lost their Business traveler & Large Body Global Markets. They retained their bargain flyers ( like me ) who are only about 20% of flyers.

The Hospitality Industry is crushed, they were at Overcapacity when the Virus hit, now with continuing vacancies we can expect Business failures and bankruptcies. These guys wonder how they will hold together for the immediate future.

Unemployment is at Record Levels with many of the Job losses permanent, the financial Market is expecting foreclosures.

The Car Industry is devastated with Hertz going under and selling off their entire inventory of Cars, flooding the already weak market, it's a great time to get a bargain deal on a 2 year old car. phew!!

Milton Friedman's "Invisible hand of the Market" was supposed to correct all of the Above. Instead, we are having rioting from Thomas Piketty's "inequality of Income".

This Storm is picking up a fierceness we've not seen or are prepared to cope with.

I didn't realize how good we had it.

Tony in Venice

Dcbingaman's picture

A couple cautionary notes: 1) Vaccine development is tricky and has never been done on this time scale for good reason. The FDA requires demonstrated effectivity of greater than 50% - not so easy to create and even harder to demonstrate. 2) The FDA is doubtful that a "challenge trial" is ethical with COVID-19 because of its high risk to both mortality and morbidity. No challenge trial, no easy path to FDA approval. I think it may be a long while until anyone safely goes to a concert or an audio show again.

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