By Laurie Niles: The NAMM Show - the yearly gathering of the National Association of Music Merchants which typically attracts some 100,000 people from more than 120 countries and regions to Anaheim, Calif., has been canceled for 2021. It will be the first time in nearly 80 years without a physical gathering for NAMM.![NAMM Show]()
Violinist.com's Laurie Niles at the 2019 NAMM Show.
The show, which was scheduled to take place at the Anaheim Convention Center January 21-24, 2021, would have featured hundreds of speakers, panels and performances -- as well as a massive showroom floor focusing on all kinds of musical instruments, products, electronics and gear.
"Given the current realities of the COVID-19 pandemic and the health and safety of NAMM members as our first priority, it is now clear there is no path forward for an in-person event in California, and we have made the difficult decision to cancel The 2021 NAMM Show," said NAMM officials in a statement on Monday. "While we are disappointed that we will not be able to gather our NAMM family in-person this January, we are reimagining how to connect all facets of the industry..."
Instead of the live show, NAMM will hold Believe in Music Week, a virtual online event that will take place during NAMM's scheduled showdates. The global online gathering will be designed to "to unify and support the people who bring music to the world," said NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. It will include a marketplace, networking, matchmaking for buyers and sellers, educational seminars, musical performances and fundraising.
"We are grateful for the feedback and conversations we've had with hundreds of members across the globe," said NAMM's statement. "Your guidance and wisdom have helped shape our thinking in this most unique of times. We would like to thank our volunteer board of directors for their unwavering commitment to NAMM and charting the course while simultaneously dealing with the challenges of their own businesses."
"If there's one common vision, it's that as a global community, we believe in music. We believe in the future of music and in the future of our industry, and in this moment, we will unite and support music-makers around the world."
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Violinist.com's Laurie Niles at the 2019 NAMM Show.