Northam ending overnight curfew, expanding capacities for outdoor venues
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Outdoor entertainment and sports venues soon will be able to welcome as many as 1,000 people – and may be able to host more than that by later this spring.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam Wednesday announced that he would increase the maximum capacity for outdoor events at certain sports and entertainment venues March 1, allowing them to operate at 30% of their capacity levels or 1,000 people, whichever is lower.
By April, the cap of 1,000 people may be lifted if trends continue in a positive direction, he said during a press briefing.
The announcement is good news for local venues like The Diamond (home of the Richmond Flying Squirrels) and Richmond Raceway.
“Thanks to Governor Ralph Northam and his administration for their diligent work and collaboration to share a pathway for Richmond Raceway to welcome fans back for our upcoming spring NASCAR weekend on April 17-18," Raceway President Dennis Bickmeier said in a statement. "For the first time in 18 months, we look forward to the opportunity to welcome fans back to hear their voice with the roar of the engines at America’s Premier Short Track as we celebrate our 75th anniversary season.
"We know our responsibility as venue operators has never been more important, so we will work hard to provide a safe race experience for every fan who enters our facility. We will also continue to support our community as a mass vaccination site as we make progress towards a post-pandemic life in the greater Richmond region and across the globe.”
Also Wednesday, Northam announced that social gatherings outdoors would be allowed to include as many as 25 people beginning March 1, up from the current cap of 10 (which will remain in place for indoor gatherings).
Northam also is ending the midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew and allowing the sale of alcohol until midnight (currently it must end by 10 p.m.).
“We’re in a more hopeful place now,” Northam said, citing falling COVID-19 case rates and the 1.7 million people in the state who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Coupled with the confirmed 500,000 cases in the state and likelihood that at least two or three times that many may also have had the virus, Northam suggested that as many as 4 million people could have protection against COVID within a month or two.
