BRUNSWICK — Bowdoin College and Brunswick town officials have canceled a bicentennial celebration due to fears of the coronavirus. 

The Community Bean Supper, scheduled at Bowdoin on Saturday “amid the anniversary weekend of statehood,” was canceled the same day Bowdoin College announced all classes after spring break will be conducted remotely and students are not to return to campus. 

Officials “reached the decision in consultation with both on- and off-campus medical providers in order to protect those most at risk from COVID-19,” according to a release from the Pejepscot History Center. 

Anyone who purchased tickets for the event will receive refunds from the school and is asked to contact the office of events and summer programs at events@bowdoin.edu or (207) 725-3433 with any questions. 

The bean supper was planned by school and town officials to celebrate the last 200 years of Maine history with special tours of Maine-themed exhibits at the Bowdoin College Art Museum, followed by live music by Pejepscot Station and a story-like presentation by the Pejepscot History Center and Maine State Music Theatre, taking visitors back in time with costumes, first-person narratives, documents to when Maine broke away from Massachusetts. 

Officials apologized for the inconvenience and called it an “unusual situation.”