On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. A week later, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that cases of coronavirus disease were increasingly being reported in many states. Since then, nearly 600,000 people have died from the pandemic in the United States alone.
Over the last year, popular culture conventions across the world have been canceled or gone virtual due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments have placed restrictions on large indoor gatherings to help control the spread of this sometimes deadly disease.
At this time, the state of Pennsylvania restricts large indoor gatherings to 25% of room capacity and requires the wearing of face masks that cover both the nose and the mouth. Attendees of such gatherings are asked to socially distance, maintaining six feet of space between individuals, and practice good hand hygiene. Although these restrictions are burdensome, they currently remain necessary. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is actively working to bring about conditions that will lead to a further relaxation of the state’s restrictions.
The PulpFest organizing committee is monitoring the situation and consulting with our host hotel. At the same time, we are continuing to work toward mounting PulpFest 2021 from August 19 – 22 in Mars, Pennsylvania at the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh — Cranberry.
The organizing committee will continue to assess developments and advise you about any changes to our plans through our website and social media pages. Although we hope to hold PulpFest 2021 in August, it is not a done deal.
Please stay tuned to pulpfest.com. We also recommend that you join our email list through the handy sign-up box found on our website.
In the meantime, stay safe and be aware of the needs of others. We hope to see all of you August 19 – 22 for PulpFest 2021.
The last year has been, by and large, a year without conventions. Both PulpFest 2020 and the 2020 Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention were canceled due to the coronavirus.
Although we can’t force anyone — such as this young lady in Norman Saunders‘ cover painting for the October 1935 issue of Culture Publications’ SPICY MYSTERY STORIES — it’s our hope that everyone who plans to attend PulpFest 2021 will be vaccinated against COVID-19.
We have many older members who attend PulpFest. Please keep them in mind. Remember, we’re all in this together.
