Are music festivals safe to attend again?

Attending a music festival may be an unforgettable time for you and your friends. The following suggestions may help you remain healthy and safe while also enjoying a good time, no matter if the party is a one-day or days-long festival. 

Make Sure You’re Safe Before Heading to the Music Festival

Contact the venue or visit the venue’s webpage to see if it follows the CDC’s recommendations for ceremonies and festivals. Physical separation, frequent mask usage, sanitization throughout activities, and accessible facilities for cleaning or disinfecting yourself are all critical protective procedures to inquire about. Danger can also be determined by the festival’s locale.

Everything that takes place outside is far safer than anything that takes place inside. A bigger venue with restricted capacity will be safer than a tiny area with a significant number of people crammed inside its walls.

Check out just how adequately ventilated the venues will be for indoor events. Being able to run extractors and open doors or windows are indications of a well-ventilated space. High ceilings and HEPA-filtered air purifiers are also beneficial.

If Traveling Long Distance

The CDC still advises unvaccinated individuals to remain at their residence, but anybody who does intend to travel should be screened for coronavirus 1 to 3 days ahead of time. You need to wash your hands or sanitize before and after any stops.

If you’re using public transportation, do not take your mask off. If you are driving yourself, put on a mask when you stop for gas, food or to use the bathroom.

Keep a distance of at least 6 feet between you and people. Don’t forget to bring your phone to make use of Covid alert apps, and you can a least keep occupied playing online slots Canada while you’re on the road. Three to five days after you get back from the festival, test yourself again. Self-quarantine for at least a week, no matter the outcome. Keep an eye out for signs of Covid-19.

You, Music Festivals, and the CDC

The CDC’s official stance is currently one of warning, but not panic. It advises event coordinators to engage with event attendees well ahead of the event to dissuade people who are ill from going, as well as to create flexible cancelation procedures to encourage people to stay home if they aren’t feeling well.

It also urges organizations to have large quantities of infection-prevention equipment on site, such as basins with detergent and sanitizer, to reduce the danger of spreading from objects.

The CDC recommends event organizers establish a location that may be used to segregate sick employees or attendees from those who are healthy. They also emphasize that events need only provide throwaway facemasks to individuals who are experiencing symptoms. 

Whether you choose to take a chance and attend music festivals, or play it safe and take a pass, carefully consider your physical and mental health. These are very personal decisions. You must, however, be prudent and take into account all of the factors surrounding you and the event. After all, there will be more.

The virtual “concerts” we’ve been getting have been cute, but don’t compare.

With so many canceled concerts, crowds have been growing anxious to see a live show once again. Artists, especially, have been hit extraordinarily hard by COVID. Many have speculated: what will alternative COVID concerts look like in 2021 and on?

At the moment, venues, themselves are trying to find workarounds for this too. With venues losing nearly half a year of profits, they need solutions. If they are to bring them back, what will change? Will we go back to how it was?

Alternative COVID concerts: The Drive-in

Some artists have done drive-in concerts. It’s an original solution, granted there’s a drive-in theater near you. Everyone is socially distanced (within their car), and doesn’t need a mask!

A major benefit of the drive-in is all can see from where they are. Tickets are the same price per car, and charges per vehicle instead of passenger. Most drive-in parking passes cost around $150, which divided by four, which means less than $40 per person!

We will miss the feeling of the crowd, for sure. Beats watching from behind a screen, though.

Socially distanced crowds

Before the COVID resurgence, Dave Chappelle held his first live show since the virus on June 6th. This was managed with a socially distanced crowd in Yellow Springs, OH, where cases were relatively low.

This was the first ‘concert’ in North America since the virus’ start.

Seats were in pairs in an outdoor theater setting, with groups putting their seats together.

Granted, this was before the recent COVID spike, where such a thing could happen. Also, this was a comedy show, where people are more inclined to sit and listen intently.

Concerts are experienced differently. You watch the concert, but you’re more inclined to stand up dance, or mosh. All of which are fueled by the whole crowd feeling the music.

All that said, it is something worth trying when the case numbers drop a bit.

Wearing masks to concerts (…?)

There’s a reason I put an ellipsis and question mark in parentheses there. The point of having concerts back open is to mark the end of this bullshit and a return to normal life.

Having masks at concerts may dampen the mood, though may be necessary. At least for a bit. Having crowds gather will need to be tested as safely as possible first before going back to normal.

Having a concert of any sort will be a blessing. Maybe these alternative COVID concerts will do for a while. Stay hopeful, friends.