The Bridge Day Commission has made the decision to cancel Bridge Day, which was scheduled for October 17, 2020, due to uncertainty around the safety of mass gatherings.
“We know that this is an enormous disappointment, but this is not a decision that has been taken lightly. This is one of the few times in 40 years that Bridge Day will not take place,” said Bridge Day Commission Chair Becky Sullivan. “However, we are in uncharted territory, and we are working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation. The uncertainty we are facing makes the probability of factors outside of our control forcing us to cancel the event at the last minute much higher. We based this decision on the facts as we know them and, more importantly, based on our responsibility and care for our community.”
Bridge Day is West Virginia’s largest single-day festival and one of the largest extreme sports events in the world. Approximately 100,000 people attend Bridge Day each year. In previous years, more than 300 BASE jumpers from over 33 states participated in the event as well as 300-plus rappellers.
“We understand the gravity of the situation, and how much this event means to all involved,” Sullivan added. “We are committed to doing our part to protect our communities, staff, volunteers, attendees and fellow Mountaineers.”
“We continue to strive toward our purpose of celebrating the New River Gorge Bridge and surrounding areas. We intend to keep morale high and, together with community leaders, focus on collective efforts to rebuild a fantastic event in 2021,” Sullivan said. “We appreciate the patience and understanding and look forward to welcoming everyone to future Bridge Day events.”
Additional updates will be made on officialbridgeday.com.
