MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Montgomery County officials announced Thursday that venues will be permitted to have live outdoor performances of 50 people or less, however, they will have to meet certain guidelines.
The new provision further expands entertainment options for residents during Phase 2 of reopening.
“This is a delicate balance, which is why we’re beginning cautiously,” County Executive Marc Elrich said. “We are trying to find ways to allow performances while we are continuing to look at the intractability of our case count numbers."
The following are guidelines for live outdoor performances in Montgomery County:
- Physical distancing of at least six feet for guests who are not part of the same household
- Advance ticket sales only. One ticket holder in each party must provide contact information in the event they need to be reached for contact tracing purposes
- All guests and venue staff will be required to wear face masks at all times
- The venue must regularly sanitize surfaces and common areas after each show
- Temperature checks of staff prior to each day of the performance
- Survey of guest’s health status upon entry into the venue
- Performers must undergo a COVID-19 test prior to the run of the show and have temperature checks prior to each performance
- As part of the Letter of Approval request, each venue shall submit a plan to ensure the health and safety of the performers. It's recommended that any theater company follow the guidelines issued by SAG-AFTRA
- Safety guidelines must be overseen by a designated COVID-19 response coordinator or safety officer.
- Following performances, ticket holders must be contacted electronically with a request that they report COVID-19 symptoms from anyone in their party to the venue staff Any reports from guests, performers, staff or crew must be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Disease Control Office.
Venues interested in having outdoor live performances must submit a request for a Letter of Approval and adhere to specific guidelines to protect the health and safety of guests, performers, production crews and staff.
“Our goal throughout the pandemic has been to make the safety and health of residents be the priority in our decisions,” Dr. Travis Gayles, County health officer, said. “We believe these actions will help us continue our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 while helping the community move towards the reopening of our economy."
For more information on the guidelines, please visit Montgomery County’s COVID-19 website.