DC Auto Show dates pushed further into 2021 because of pandemic

Though many big events have been canceled or gone virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers appear to be pressing forward with plans for a big D.C. event: the auto show.

The plan is for the Washington, D.C. Auto Show to still happen at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in 2021, though its dates have now been pushed back.

The 10-day event — which was originally scheduled to be held Jan. 29 — is now set to begin March 26.

“Our top priority is to ensure the safety of all involved in this show, and we believe strongly that a two-month delay will better allow us to produce the type of well-rounded and immersive show that our attendees are accustomed to,” show CEO John O’Donnell said in a news release.

Organizers said the show will incorporate “best-in-class” social distancing practices.

“The Washington, D.C. Auto Show’s organizers are also working on a robust health and safety plan that will prioritize consumer and staff safety and cleanliness, while reflecting the best practices and guidelines that remain in effect in late March of 2021,” the release said.

The plan relies on a steady rollback of restrictions in D.C. Currently, large gatherings are banned under Phase Two of D.C.’s reopening plan.

The show normally involves large crowds of people, touching and sitting in many of the roughly 600 new cars on display from nearly three dozen manufacturers.


More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.


John Aaron

John Aaron is a news anchor and reporter for WTOP. After starting his professional broadcast career as an anchor and reporter for WGET and WGTY in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, he went on to spend several years in the world of sports media, working for Comcast SportsNet, MLB Network Radio, and WTOP.

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