World Massage Festival &
Massage Therapy Hall of Fame


August 1-5, 2021
Planet Hollywood
Las Vegas, Nevada


Our Mission Statement: To honor those who built the bridges for our profession,
to educate the general public about massage, to educate therapists
about different types of massage and to have fun.





Bring in your saved pop tabs, toys,
non-perishable food items or
household items as listed below and
receive an additional FREE door prize ticket!

It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce that the 2021 World Massage Festival has been cancelled due to COVID restrictions.
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT.

We absolutely believe in "DO NO HARM" and WE WILL NOT RISK EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS FOR OUR WMF FAMILY by holding an event that could very well become a superspreader. Since we began the WMF, our purpose has been to help in any way possible, not to hinder and to do no harm. We have never been in this for the money.

Yes, there are now vaccines, but for a vaccine to work, 80-90% of the population must have received the vaccine. You are not considered immune until 14 days after you get your second dose. Due to many factors, that will not happen before August 1. Large group gatherings are also restricted by state law. We have had several instructors inform us that it will not be possible for them to teach this year because of COVID retrictions and travel restrictions, even though they have been scheduled for two years now. We have waited to make our decision as long as we can, but many of you have not worked for over a year, you would need to make travel arrangements and room reservations, risking losing your deposits or airline fees. We have run out of time to make a decision.

The World Massage Festival has more than 1,000 participants each year. We cannot, in good conscience, put that many people together for a massage convention. In addition, many who regularly attend Festival have taken firm stands against vaccines and masking. That is their choice to make, but that choice could also affect others in attendance. We are just not willing to risk the lives of our WMF family. We believe in the science and Dr. Fauci has said that it would be well into 2022 before we could safely attend sporting events and concerts, as in the past. If it's not safe to go to a football game, it surely is not safe to attend a hands-on massage convention. President Biden said (March 2, 2021) we should be back to normal "by this time next year".

All attendees who were registered for the 2020 and 2021 Festivals will have their registration automatically transferred to the 2022 Festival in Cherokee, NC. The dates for it are July 17-21, 2022, at Harrah's Cherokee. Harrah's has built a new conference facility and new hotel tower, so there will be room for lots of classes, lodging and get togethers.

Some of you will be angry and tell us that you are working now as a massage therapist, so "why not?", that it's an individual's "choice to attend or not". We understand that. But, if you are currently offering massage services, you are also able to control all aspects of your contact with others.

There is no way for us to control contact between more than 1,000 massage therapists, vendors, instructors, WMF staff and family members who invariably attend, not to mention all the staff at Planet Hollywood and anywhere else in Las Vegas that attendees may visit, as well as those you would encounter as you travel to and from Las Vegas. Not when the majority of the classes would be hands-on, with no way to maintain 6' social distancing. Not when we tend to gather in both small and large groups throughout Festival. Not when we would all, by necessity, have to get our meals at restaurants on site or somewhere else in Las Vegas. We will also not be put in the position to pick and choose who COULD attend in order to keep the numbers under those allowed by law.

As much as this devastates us, both personally and financially, the possibility of someone who attends Festival getting COVID19 and either dying, having long term side effects or carrying the virus home to friends, family and loved ones, is just not something we can live with. We have already lost several members of our WMF family to the pandemic. We will not be the avenue for more infections.

We will contact each of you who registered for 2020 or 2021 to let you know when you will be able to choose classes for the 2022 Festival.

If you have questions in the meantime, please EMAIL festival@worldmassagefestival.com. Please do NOT call us.

We are shattered that we have to do this again and we miss all of our WMF Family so much. But, we look forward to the Festival at Harriahs in Cherokee, NC July 17-21, 2022, when we can all safely gather again and share those WMF hugs we all need so badly! Stay safe, please, so that we CAN gather again and have no one else missing.







World Massage Festival * festival@worldmassagefestival.com *

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