Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2020 cancelled & will take place online instead

For the past 12 years since 2008, Anime Festival Asia (AFA) has been held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, where it provided a space for fans of anime and cosplay to congregate and have fun. 

Now, for the first time since then, the physical event for AFA 2020 has been cancelled, with an online event happening instead.

The decision to cancel AFA 2020’s physical event was largely due to the current global health crisis, which has led to several restrictions being put in place to help curb the spread of the virus, both locally and regionally. 

“Due to the ongoing travel and regulatory restrictions for large scale events, we have decided that holding C3AFA Singapore this year is not sustainable for both our customers and stakeholders,” said Shawn Chin, the Festival Director of AFA and Managing Director of SOZO, the company that organises AFA. “It is with much regret that we have to cancel C3AFA Singapore 2020.”

Last year’s AFA Singapore saw over 120,000 guests attending the event. It was even awarded the Best Leisure Event in Singapore by the Singapore Tourism Board for its 2018 edition.

Guests that have been invited to the event in the past include popular J-Pop and anisong artist LiSA, and Japanese girl group Nogizaka46.

Though its physical event has been cancelled, AFA Singapore 2020 will still be happening in the form of an online event happening from Dec 5 - 6. It will feature exclusive contents from invited guests and merchandise from partner brands.

“While the physical experience of Anime Festival Asia as we have all come to know may not be fully replicated, we hope that the spirit of the event will live on online.  We hope many in the region will also tune in to this event online,” added Chin.

AFA Singapore 2020 Online will be a non-ticketed online event happening on AFA’s YouTube channel and AFA Station website, though registration may be required to access the event. More details will be released by SOZO closer to the event. 

This article was first published in Geek Culture.