Friday night was supposed to be one of the most lucrative of the year for Nashville’s world-famous honky-tonk district.

But fears of the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic threatened to land another painful economic blow to a city still reeling from a series of deadly tornadoes that flattened hundreds of homes.

The annual SEC men's basketball tournament was canceled Wednesday, the day after the five-day event that draws thousands of tourists began at Bridgestone Arena. Officials said it posed too much risk of serious illness and death.

It poured more than $20 million a year in new tourism spending downtown in recent years, and is counted among the most crucial gatherings to the city's ongoing prosperity.

This year, top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats sought to fend off 13 competing division teams after losing last year.

But bridesmaids and basketball fans alike, unmoved by fears of a rampant infectious disease many times more deadly than the flu, still took the party to Lower Broadway.

"We were so upset the tournament was canceled," said Layne Earlywine of Lexington, Ky. "We were so ready for basketball. We stayed here for the Cats. Either we go home or we stay in Nashville and have a good time."

This is the first year there will be no SEC Tournament champion since 1978. More than 100 meetings and conferences have canceled in Nashville over COVID-19 fears, including the NRA convention next month. The losses already represent tens of millions of dollars in depleted revenue to hotels, restaurants, and other businesses.

Bride-to-be Hannah Baker and several of her bridesmaids flew from Pennsylvania to celebrate her wedding next month. They visited the strip's bustling multi-level bars.

"We're washing our hands and sanitizing, and we're not interacting with any elderly people or children," Baker said, wearing a wedding veil. "I've been planning this point in my life for a long time. I just want to have a good time."

They're going to rent a pedal tavern this weekend.

Tourism officials have not yet provided an estimate of downtown tourism crowds at the beginning of the SEC tournament weekend.

But the bars at honky-tonks appeared full and crowds filled Lower Broadway throughout the night.

Revelers danced in the streets outside Kid Rock's Big Honky Tonk & Steakhouse to "Sweet Home Alabama" and front door workers kept busy checking IDs. Party buses and pedal taverns ambled along the neon strip full of people singing to "Party in the U.S.A." and "Little Red Wagon."

Terry Mattingly and a group of fellow Wildcats fans from Kentucky partied on Broadway in their blue and white team gear, carrying hand sanitizer and making plenty of stops to wash hands.

"We're worried about Nashville for sure," Mattingly said. "Because of the tornadoes and how this big SEC weekend is one of the biggest weekends and a lot of people canceled. We talked about it as a group and decided we're still going to live our life."

Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza.