As Twitchy reported Friday, Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared a local disaster because of coronavirus fears and canceled the South by Southwest festival, also known as SXSW. The previous year, the festival had brought in more than $350 million of revenue to the local economy.

To make up for that loss, the mayor shot a video encouraging people to get out and mingle and patronize those bars and restaurants that were counting on visitors from SXSW to give them an economic boost. But isn’t it counterproductive to declare a local disaster and then encourage people to leave their homes and hit the town?

This just in: Abundance-of-Caution-Palooza 2020 is canceled https://t.co/Q3diElKXQk — David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 9, 2020

Buy Local, Infect Local! — Crapplefratz – Will Tweet For Food (@Crapplefratz) March 9, 2020

So, spread the virus around your town instead of spreading it here! — Ron Hamersley (@RonaldHamersley) March 9, 2020

So by his logic, I would be risking my life visiting Austin. I guess Austin was so much safer without those money loaded visitors. — ?A Sober Tosspott ? (@ATosspott) March 9, 2020

Holy Schnikes! I am no expert in public policy, or viral transmission, or well anything really. But, this seems like a really poorly thought out idea. — John McDonald (@jhnmcdnld43) March 9, 2020

Emergency health declaration but go ahead and do everything you would have at SXSW & spread it among Texans?What a complete fraud. #RecallAdler — TXCobrak (@TXCobrak) March 9, 2020

How does this make sense? If it's bad enough to cancel then you should encourage people to stay in — Choozehappy (@Cylina) March 9, 2020

So wait you are allowed to go out and congregate with groups of people? I’m confused now. — SD (@SMBN239) March 8, 2020

Excuse me. YOU determined there was/is a health emergency and risk to the public. then, YOU tell the public to go out into public places and interact with people … for the economy Either there is an emergency and a risk or there isn’t!! Which is it ?? Trust govt – NO — Tre (@GLR3TX) March 9, 2020

You created the virus hysteria by canceling the conference and now you want people to go out?! I'd love to see @GregAbbott_TX lambast your fork-tongued buffoonery. — Apples Oranges (@ApplesTOranges) March 9, 2020

SXSW is canceled so people don’t risk exposure by being outside, but you’re asking people to go out anyway? Clown ?. — The UnSilent Free Zuby Majority (@MajorUnsilent) March 9, 2020

You canceled SXSW to avoid having people in social environments so to make up for it you're encouraging people to go out into social environments. Sounds sane to me. What could go wrong? — David Adelman (@OCDDavid) March 9, 2020

So let me get this straight…you cancel SXSW due to an emergency health declaration. Then a day later, you post a video encouraging people to still congregate bc it’s actually safe. You’re not making much sense, Mayor Adler. — Jeff G (@jjgilz) March 8, 2020

You want people to go out, eat, drink and be merry, yet you cancel the SXSW? This makes absolutely no sense, but then, you are a politician. — Candy Lamb (@candylamb47) March 9, 2020

This paranoid loon @MayorAdler cancels a festival out of caution, then tells everyone to go out and mingle as much as possible. Well, that's all you need to know about how dangerous this virus really is. — Tim (@MotleyDiver) March 9, 2020

So….cancel SXSW due to the risk that socialization may spread the flu….but then tell everyone to go out and socialize. Wow – if that is not perfect Liberal 'logic' in a nutshell, I don't know what is! — One Eyed Jack (@One_Eyed_Jack15) March 9, 2020

This is next level stupid. — Marie Coop (@mcoop69) March 9, 2020

You cancelled what you are asking folks to now do, you KNOB — Phineas J Whoopee (@j_whoopee) March 9, 2020

Now that you have screwed over all the businesses in your own city, I hope you lose the next election by a landslide. — LibertyJ (@LibertyJen) March 9, 2020

and they are saying that since SXSW didn't go through this year, they won't be able to fund it next year either. so 2020 & 2021 done.

Locally that $700 million for the 2 years, lost — (((#NameThisProfile)))?????? (@SglNewYork) March 9, 2020

Are..are you suggesting people gather in large crowds? pic.twitter.com/pNwLyhmmGF — the Flash (@ThickenParm) March 9, 2020

All the d-bags aren't coming, so you're pandering to the little people to fill the gap? Nah. — Phil Elliott (@NDallas87) March 9, 2020

How are you a mayor? — LeMao (@LebronTheDong) March 7, 2020

You are terrible at your job. — JayJay (@tantrumblue1) March 9, 2020

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