Insomniac has announced an in-person Halloween festival in Florida amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Boo! Orlando is scheduled for Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st at Orlando’s Lot 54 at The Vanguard.
Friday night will feature performances from Carnage, Loud Luxury, SayMyName, ATLiens, and Jinx while Saturday’s billing boasts Valentino Khan, Nitti Gritti, Schade, Sloth, and a yet-to-be-named surprise artist.
As those in the live music industry continue to experience the pitfalls of the virus’ impact, shows like this may become more frequent in the coming months. It’s important to note that a lot of artists depend on booking fees to generate income, and since streaming isn’t exactly a cash cow, many of them feel they must resume touring in order to stay afloat.
It seems that safety is of paramount importance to Insomniac, who will be handing out masks and face shields—which must be worn at all times—upon entry. According to the event’s microsite, the renowned event promoter has instated a number of safety guidelines for the festival. “This will be an outdoor event operated at less than 25% capacity,” the site reads. “There will be digital temperature screening upon entry, and masks must be worn at all times when inside the venue. Additionally, our CLEAN team will be wiping down high contact areas with hospital grade disinfectant, prior to, during and after the event each day.”
The Orlando Sentinel reports the Florida resident death toll from COVID-19 increased to 15,830 today, October 16th, after 94 fatalities were reported by the state Department of Health. Positive cases of the virus increased by 3,449 to a total of 748,347 to date. With a population of about 21.5 million, about one in 29 people in Florida have now been infected. The state is in the third phase of its reopening plan, which was recently introduced by governor Ron DeSantis.
You can find more information about Boo! Orlando here.
