Officials from the High Point Market Authority said Monday that "hundreds and perhaps thousands of our customers" may not attend the spring event due to the anti-LGBTQ measures signed into law during last week's special session.Market officials said in a statement that House Bill 2 could cause "significant economic damage" to North Carolina's largest annual economic event, adding that dozens of customers have already contacted them in the last few days to cancel their attendance plans. Several social media campaigns are calling for boycotting Market, authority officials said."Based on the reaction in just the last few days, hundreds and perhaps thousands of our customers will not attend Market this April," Market officials said in a statement. The spring Market begins April 16.The spring and fall markets provide an estimated annual impact of $5 billion to the state. Market officials continued their statement below:"The High Point Market does not discriminate, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity....We embrace all of our attendees and believe that the diversity of the 75,000 people who attend Market is one of our greatest assets and strengths."We also greatly appreciate our partners in Raleigh in both the executive and legislative branches who have worked to strengthen the High Point Market in recent years and who provide us with a significant portion of our budget. We believe it is vital for them to be kept informed of the public's reaction to HB2, and to the significant economic damage that this controversy is causing."The law, which garnered attention as the "bathroom bill" due to a Charlotte ordinance, prohibits all North Carolina locales from passing nondiscrimination ordinances to protect transgender or gay rights.

Officials from the High Point Market Authority said Monday that "hundreds and perhaps thousands of our customers" may not attend the spring event due to the anti-LGBTQ measures signed into law during last week's special session.

Market officials said in a statement that House Bill 2 could cause "significant economic damage" to North Carolina's largest annual economic event, adding that dozens of customers have already contacted them in the last few days to cancel their attendance plans. Several social media campaigns are calling for boycotting Market, authority officials said.


"Based on the reaction in just the last few days, hundreds and perhaps thousands of our customers will not attend Market this April," Market officials said in a statement. The spring Market begins April 16.

The spring and fall markets provide an estimated annual impact of $5 billion to the state. Market officials continued their statement below:

"The High Point Market does not discriminate, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity....We embrace all of our attendees and believe that the diversity of the 75,000 people who attend Market is one of our greatest assets and strengths.

"We also greatly appreciate our partners in Raleigh in both the executive and legislative branches who have worked to strengthen the High Point Market in recent years and who provide us with a significant portion of our budget. We believe it is vital for them to be kept informed of the public's reaction to HB2, and to the significant economic damage that this controversy is causing."

The law, which garnered attention as the "bathroom bill" due to a Charlotte ordinance, prohibits all North Carolina locales from passing nondiscrimination ordinances to protect transgender or gay rights.