Coronavirus: Weekly food market Smorgasburg L.A. will go on hiatus through March

The outdoor food festival Smorgasburg L.A., which draws thousands of attendees to the ROW DTLA complex each Sunday, will be put on a hiatus “at least through the end of March,� according to the event’s organizers.

The announcement came in light of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press conference late Wednesday, in which he urged California residents to consider the cancellation of public gatherings of 250 or more people due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Smorgasburg hiatus will also apply to the company’s indoor and outdoor markets in New York and Brooklyn.

“We remain hopeful that during this dormant period the health situation will come under some level of control,� L.A. general manager Zach Brooks said in a statement. “And that if (and when!) we are able to return, people will feel comfortable returning to Smorgasburg to gather with our community as we begin to find the new normal.�

Brooks called the move “not an easy decision, as hundreds of small businesses rely heavily on our markets to survive.�

“We join with the many others nationwide in making the difficult but clearly correct choice to follow the recommended guidelines as a way of mitigating the spread of the virus,� he said. “We will make a determination in the coming days and weeks about a reopening date based on guidance from health officials and our elected representatives.�

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“We look forward to seeing you on the other side,� the statement concluded.