HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Hill Air Force Base’s biennial air show has been canceled.

In a press release, base spokesman Donovan Potter said the 2020 Warriors Over the Wasatch Air and Space Show, which has been scheduled for June 27 and 28, has been canceled due to growing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re disappointed that the … air show will not happen, but believe it’s the right thing to do given the COVID-19 outbreak and our responsibility to protect public health,” Col. Jon Eberlan, 75th Air Base Wing commander, said in a statement. “We appreciate our community’s patience and understanding as we navigate these times together. We plan to pick up our next Air Show in 2022.”

The air show takes place every other year, and it’s one of the largest aerial demonstrations in the country. It’s the largest single event in Utah, with regular attendees traveling from all over the United States and Canada.

During the show, the normally secure base opens its gates to the public and tens of thousands of visitors converge on the installation’s flight line. During the 2018 show, base officials estimated more than 565,000 visitors attended the two-day performance — a number that was about 15,000 more than the show’s previous attendance record of 550,000.

The air show cancelation is the second disruption to large Northern Utah events during the last 10 days. On March 25, Ogden’s GOAL! Foundation announced the 2020 America First Ogden Marathon, which had been scheduled to take place on May 16, would be postponed until Sept. 26. The largest event held in Ogden, the marathon typically features around 6,500 participants and more than 10,000 spectators.

At Hill, base officials have required that all nonessential employees work from home and been operating at a “Health Protection Condition Charlie” for the past week. The designation is the second most restrictive health designation in the Department of Defense and restricts movement of personnel on the base to official business, imposes strict hygiene rules, self-isolation if exposed, and requires the avoidance of risk areas, like common gathering spots.

Potter said base leaders remain focused on caring for airmen and their families and will continue to closely watch the COVID-19 situation, working closely with the DoD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Utah Department of Health for guidelines and recommendations.