From our content partner, Channel 3000.
MADISON, Wis.– Under Dane County’s new public health order starting March 10, outdoor gatherings will be expanded to 500 people. That has many locals optimistic much larger events could return as soon as this summer, and those working for the City of Madison aren’t ruling that out.
This time last year, Kelli Lamberty, Community Events Supervisor for the City of Madison, received her first covid cancelation: No Shamrock Shuffle or St. Paddy’s Day parade. Then came the avalanche.
“It’s amazing how busy you can be canceling events, unfortunately,” Lamberty said. “Having last year without Concerts on the Square, Ironman, the Taste of Madison, Art Fair on the Square. It was obvious that we were in ‘unprecedented times.’”
Most of Madison’s 270 major single- and multi-day festivals were called off in 2020, and Madison missed out on millions of visitors and millions of tourism dollars. Art Fair on the Square alone draws more than 150,000 people to Madison over the course of just two days.
“I think cautiously optimistic is the phrase for right now,” said Lamberty, of 2021’s outlook.
Starting Wednesday, the new public health order will expand the number of people allowed to gather outside from 100 to 500. At first, Lamberty was caught off-guard by the announcement.
“500 seems like an amazing number of people after a year where 10 or 25 was the limit,” she explained.
Now, Lamberty is getting to work, laying the groundwork for much larger events to return. While the city’s largest festivals and fairs usually take months to plan for, Lamberty said she could give them the green light with just two weeks’ notice once public health orders allow.
“We are hoping that number will increase and we’ll get back to unlimited, or close to it, soon,” Lamberty said, adding, “This is a better kind of busy.”
Another sign of hope: Most of Madison’s major events have 2021 dates listed on their websites.
