Calgary Auto Show cancelled and cleared out amid COVID-19 pandemic

The show must go on — until it must not. 

Circumstances surrounding large-scale events in Calgary changed quickly on Thursday, with many Calgary organizations announcing they would be cancelling or postponing scheduled events. 

Those changes were suddenly felt at the Calgary International Auto and Truck Show late Thursday evening, where organizers pulled the plug mid-event.

It was a complete turnaround from earlier in the week, when Kristina Barnes — who represents the auto show along with the Calgary Stampede — told CBC News that the auto show was still scheduled to proceed despite mounting cancellations around the world.

"[We're] looking at extra stations for hand sanitizers, increased cleaning of high touch points, so, doorways, where people would go through and put their hands," Barnes said on Monday.

As of Monday, such preparations were also expected to apply to upcoming events including the Calgary Expo, the Global Petroleum Show and the Calgary Stampede.

"Right now, business as usual, planning for a Stampede as usual," Barnes said. "But having that in the back of our minds, as well that things may need to change."

At the BMO Centre on Thursday night, as hundreds of car enthusiasts were shuffled out of the convention centre and back to their vehicles, those circumstances had quickly changed.

Ricardo de Menezes had planned to spend the late afternoon and evening at the show, an annual tradition, only to witness the "surreal" shutdown.

De Menezes said he arrived at 3:30 p.m. and was walking around the show for a couple of hours when he noticed something was wrong.

"[The dealers] were just standing around their desks having conversations, and when I walked over to get one of the pamphlets the lady from the Nissan dealership said they're shutting the show down," he said.

"There was no one around to greet you and look at the cars and all the vendors are starting to close their doors and I asked them like, 'Is it shut down?' They're like, 'Yeah, it's shut down for good. So we have to start packing up our stuff and go.'"

De Menezes said he had not been concerned when he arrived, seeing hand sanitizing stations at almost every car dealer.

"When we arrived it looked like business as usual, and as soon as they had said they were closing it, the rolling doors had all closed down and you could only exit," he said. "So it was quite surreal, actually, because as we were leaving we were literally maybe one of 10 or 15 people left in the whole pavilion."

Despite the shock, de Menezes said he completely understands the decision is a matter of public safety. Organizers had expected up to 70,000 people over the five-day event.

"I'm happy I got the show in, because this has been like an annual tradition for me since I was a little kid. I love the car show," he said. "It's unfortunate for the car dealers because they really are showcasing all the new technology and all the brand new 2021 models and all that kind of stuff … but you know, what do you do? It's a little more important than that."

In her news conference held Thursday afternoon, Alberta's chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said public gatherings of more than 250 people should be cancelled.

Organizers had been working to ensure safe conditions for the 40th annual show, which got underway on March 11. But amidst a flood of cancellations in Calgary on Thursday, the event was called off.

The event had filled all five halls of the BMO Centre at Stampede Park with car enthusiasts.

"Due to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and at the direction of the Alberta Health Services, the Calgary International Auto Show has unfortunately been closed effective immediately until further notice," organizers posted on Facebook late Thursday.