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Bloomsday postpones race for first time in 44 years due to coronavirus

If participants have already registered but cannot make the September date, their entry will carry over into next year's Bloomsday race.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Bloomsday announced on late Tuesday night that the popular race has been postponed to Sept. 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

In a release on their website, Bloomsday said in part, "This year, when COVID-19 began to make its way into our consciousness, we at Bloomsday worked with our local health officials, clinging to the hope that we could keep our first Sunday in May date alive. However, developments which have come at lightning speed over the past few days have made it crystal clear that it will impossible to hold Bloomsday as planned."

Bloomsday leaders initially told KREM that the race could be canceled if the coronavirus outbreak reached pandemic or epidemic levels. 

The World Health Organization classified the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11. 

RELATED: World Health Organization declares coronavirus outbreak a pandemic

The race said that all entries in Bloomsday 2020 will carry to the new date, including the Corporate Cup. If participants have already registered but cannot make the September date, their entry will carry over into next year's Bloomsday race.

This announcement also means that the Marmot March and Jr. Bloomsday have been postponed too. There are no details at this time of when, or if, those will be rescheduled.

Registration remains open for the Sept. 20 Bloomsday event here.

This marks the first time in the event's 44-year history that the race has had to be moved.

Bloomsday is a 12-kilometer race that usually takes place on the first Sunday of May every year in Spokane. 

RELATED: Bloomsday could be canceled if coronavirus becomes epidemic or pandemic

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