Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival has canceled the event, which was set for this weekend, citing "unknown factors and concerns related to COVID-19," according to an announcement on its website.

Here is the full announcement:

It is with heavy hearts and deep regrets that the Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival Board of Directors announce the cancellation of

We are devastated to share this news with you as we know that this event is one that many authors, students, and fans look forward to each year.

At this time, we feel that we are unable to provide the same quality experience that has been our calling card over the last four years amid the high volume of cancellations because of the many unknown factors and concerns related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

SE-YA Book Fest is committed to supporting literacy in our communities and will examine ways to continue to do that in the coming months.

We ask for your patience and understanding as we work through the ramifications of this very difficult decision. We look forward to working with all of you who are a part of this festival is some way and thank you for your support of youth literacy.

About SE-YA

SE-YA Book Fest is a one-of-a-kind event held on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University.

It is designed to place teens and authors of young adult literature in a setting to interact about what they love most — young adult literature. The primary goal of the festival is to encourage and develop literacy in young adults by connecting them with authors, thereby advancing education in the community.