Nottingham's St Patrick's Day celebrations in Old Market Square have been cancelled amid coronavirus fears.
Instead of the traditional parade, this year an open-air concert had been planned for Tuesday March 17 with a 2,000-strong crowd expected to congregate.
A special programme of events had been lined up to mark a milestone anniversary.
Gerry Molumby, chairman of Nottingham's St Patrick's Festival, said: "It's our 21st year and it was going to be so special.
"The weather forecast for next Tuesday is very good which adds to the atmosphere. Riverdance are at the Theatre Royal and they were going to come down and do a display and John McNicholl's big band sounds from Ireland were going to do a headline performance.
"We had a big show lined up. We had hoped to create a nice village atmosphere with groups having a stall to showcase what they do in the Irish community in Nottingham and tea and cakes.
"It's a big gathering of aunts, uncles and cousins and a very tactile greeting - it's a joyful event and with this cloud nationally, it would not fit in."
Mr Molumby met with Nottingham City Council officials yesterday to discuss whether the event - the largest St Paddy’s celebration in the East Midlands - should proceed and in view of the Government announcement they've erred on the side of caution.
It's unlikely to be rescheduled later in the year because the Irish day is very much "set on March 17," he added.
There are fears now about large groups congregating in pubs to celebrate the day.
Mass and the blessing of the shamrock will still be going ahead at At Our Lady and Saint Patrick’s Church in The Meadows at 9.30am.
