Popular UArizona Science City Event and Tucson Festival of Books Canceled Due to Coronavirus Concerns

The Tucson Festival of Books and associated Science City events that take place each year at the University of Arizona have been canceled out of caution and consideration for the health and safety of participants. The move comes after the Arizona Department of Health Services announced a fifth case of coronavirus in the state over the weekend.

Science City is an annual two-day celebration of science, technology, exploration and engagement organized by the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute. It is an interactive fixture of the Tucson Festival of Books, which draws authors and attendees from around the world to Tucson each spring.

Event organizers made the decision to cancel this year’s event on Monday, due to growing health concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Science City has been a draw at the Tucson Festival of Books since 2008. More than 130,000 people attended the event last year, providing an unparalleled opportunity for public outreach and education for University of Arizona Health and Science programs.

This year's event was set to take place the weekend of March 14-15. Faculty, staff and volunteers from various University of Arizona Health Sciences programs were slated to speak and host activities.

Participating UArizona Health Sciences programs included the College of Pharmacy, the College of Medicine – Tucson Department of Immunobiology, the Health Sciences Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center, UArizona Cancer Center Cancer Biology Graduate Program, and more.

With more than 100 hands-on learning activities, laboratory tours, and exciting science demonstrations, Arizona’s largest STEM event typically draws tens of thousands of visitors. 

The coronavirus is now present in more than 100 countries, including more than 550 confirmed cases in the United States. On Tuesday, March 10, Health Sciences announced it has suspended all non-essential domestic out-of-state business travel until further notice for employees, following an announcement Friday, March 6, that international travel for employees has been suspended except for essential or emergency reasons.

For updated information and health alerts related to the coronavirus (COVID-19), refer to the UArizona Campus Health website.