The event, scheduled for August 27 at Wynwood's RC Cola Plant, was to benefit Paws 4 You Rescue.
Karen Hamilton, director of communications for Lagunitas Brewing Company, issued the following statement:
We regretfully inform you that we will be cancelling the Miami Beer Circus, effective immediately. With the Centers for Disease Control warning that anyone traveling to the Wynwood area would be put in a health-compromising situation, we do not feel that continuing with our first-ever Miami Circus on August 27th appropriate. We value the well-being of our employees, local partners, and general public above all else.In an email, Hamilton said that although the company was looking forward to bringing its circus to Miami, it decided to pull the plug on the event. "Given the circumstances, it’s the most responsible, caring thing. We’ll plan something else cool when people’s health is not in jeopardy."
We know that the CDC has everyone's best interests at heart, and we abide by their recommendation. We hope that all in the Wynwood and Miami areas remain healthy and happy.
As of today, 15 locally acquired cases of Zika have been confirmed in Miami, with the epicenter of the outbreaks in Wynwood. In total, there are now 336 people with confirmed Zika cases in Florida, including 55 pregnant women, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The Lagunitas Beer Circus isn't the only casualty of the outbreak. The Wynwood Yard, an outdoor venue, announced it would closing for a day to assess how to best protect its patrons and employees from the risks associated with Zika. Miami Tour Company also announced it would reroute its buses until the mosquito-borne scare is controlled.
