MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins announced on Tuesday the cancellation of both the 2021 TwinsFest and the Twins Winter Caravan in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit the Upper Midwest particularly hard in recent weeks. Instead, the organization plans to announce a series of virtual experiences aimed at connecting fans with players and coaches.

Both events would have been scheduled for January. The Twins Winter Caravan had been held in each of the last 60 seasons, with a group of coaches, players and executives typically visiting communities around Greater Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin and Iowa over the course of several days for events.

TwinsFest, the largest annual fundraiser for the Twins Community Fund, has brought fans together for a multi-day event with players and coaches since 1989.

"An offseason without our longstanding and beloved fan events is certainly tough to digest, but our top priority is, and always will be, the health and safety of Twins Territory," Twins president Dave St. Peter said in a statement. "With COVID-19 certain to be present at some level in January 2021, we feel it is the prudent, responsible and correct decision to cancel our events that would have otherwise brought together large groups of people in confined, indoor spaces."

Earlier in the offseason, the Twins also announced the move of the annual Diamond Awards, a fundraising partnership with the University of Minnesota, to a digital format this December. That will be held Dec. 9 and televised on FOX Sports North. The Twins' Spring Training opener is currently scheduled for Feb. 27 ahead of Opening Day on April 1 in Milwaukee.

"As we’ve all done so much in these unprecedented times, we will adapt," St. Peter said in the statement. "We’re excited to roll out some unique, fun ways for Twins fans to safely engage with the back-to-back American League Central champions this winter, and we’re already looking forward to the 2022 return of Winter Caravan and TwinsFest."