Firefighters postpone massive Indy convention due to COVID-19

The FDIC International convention—which with 35,000 participants is one of the biggest annual tourism events for Indianapolis—has been postponed with no date yet for rescheduling.

The convention for firefighters and other rescue personnel was scheduled to run April 19-25. It typically has an economic impact of nearly $35 million for the city.

“In light of the recent activities around COVID-19, we are continuing to prioritize the safety and health of our attendees, exhibitors, customers and staff above all else,” according to a media release from the group on Thursday. “We are postponing FDIC International and are in conversations with the Indiana Convention Center and Convention & Visitors Bureau for new dates and we ask that you bear with us as we evaluate all opportunities.”

The convention joins a quickly growing list of events scheduled for Indianapolis in coming weeks and months that have been postponed or canceled due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The first to postpone was the American Coatings Show and Conference, which had been scheduled for March 31-April 2 and expected 10,000 participants.