Although a COVID-19 vaccine could soon be on the near-ish horizon, that isn’t soon enough for the organizers of Milan’s Salone del Mobile.

The 60th edition of the world’s largest furniture fair has now proactively been pushed back from April—when it is has been traditionally held for the past 30 years—to early September 2021. The official dates for the fair at the time of writing are September 5­–10.

While vaccine-related news has been more encouraging than not as of late, distribution timelines and other vital particulars such as travel restrictions still remain unclear across Europe, North America, Asia, and elsewhere as this tumultuous year comes to a close. While it appears that there is a good chance that a vaccine will be widely available to the public by April, Salone organizers are erring on the side of caution. It’s a particularly judicious move when considering the devastating blow that the virus had on Milan and other areas of northern Italy this past spring and the massive scale of the furniture fair, which attracts guests from all corners of the globe.

Claudio Luti, president of Salone del Mobile, Claudio Luti, elaborated in a statement:

“Being able to hold the Salone next year is an absolute priority for all those of us whose lives revolve around design.

We believe that moving the fair to September will leave enough time for the ongoing acute phase of the pandemic to subside and that this will provide a real chance to kickstart design at global level. We all need the Salone in Milan. Over the last few months, clients and designers from all over the world, and the press that follows us at international level, have been asking us constantly to confirm the dates for this edition. We’ll be there, and we’ll be even more attractive and more motivated, just as motivated as the companies working to design and manufacture the best possible products. After such a lengthy period of physical and social distancing in every sphere, we would like to be able to see the Salone as an opportunity for actual meeting and discussion, and a chance for us all to share our excitement with a city buzzing with new ideas.”

In late February of this year, as the pandemic began to spread rapidly throughout Italy’s Lombardy region and elsewhere, Salone del Mobile organizers announced that the 2020 edition would be postponed until June. In the days and weeks following that announcement, the situation became progressively more dire and the trade show and all auxiliary events were ultimately canceled altogether.

There is no indication that the rescheduled Salone del Mobile will not be held at its normal venue, the Fiera Milano fairgrounds.