"This is no joke."
I started saying that to no one in particular around the first of February. Of course, it was for mostly selfish reasons, as I feared coronavirus would impact many of the events I love covering.
The first domino was the cancellation of South by Southwest in Austin on Friday, March 6. Then Coachella was canceled and then Pearl Jam announced it was canceling its tour. What would this mean for Bonnaroo, Riverbend, JFest and all of the local tours?
Well, we know what happened. Theoretically, these are "just" music events meant to entertain us, but they are so much more. They represent jobs for thousands of people - from the stars who perform to the people who supply the food and clean up the waste.
Since March 12, I've written several stories about the impact the virus has had on the local food industry. From the start, it was clear that wait staff, bartenders and cooks would be suddenly without work, but it even affects the people who provide the kitchen floor mats, the aprons and napkins, the produce, the eggs and bread. And those who pick up the trash from restaurants have less work, if any at all.
Of course, there are the wonderful stories of people who are finding ways to help, either by fundraising online or making donations. We will start printing those stories online and in print on Sunday under the heading "Friends Indeed" because they are every bit as important.
- Barry Courter, food and entertainment writer, bcourter@timesfreepress.com.