CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It's about to be a Madhouse on Madison again!
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday that fans will be allowed back at the United Center for Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls games. Effective immediately, the United Center can welcome back fans at 25 percent capacity.
Additionally summer festivals will return to Chicago, starting with the Windy City Smokeout country music and barbeque festival held in the parking lot of the United Center in July.
Due to the improvement in reopening COVID-19 metrics and the ongoing distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, Chicago will be loosening Phase Four regulations to allow for higher capacity across industries effective immediately.
Under the new Phase Four Regulations, most Chicago industries will have the ability to increase capacity effective immediately, including the following changes:
• Restaurants and bars: Indoor capacity can increase to the lesser of 50 percent or 100 people.
• Spectator events, theater, and performing arts: Large indoor venues, including the United Center, can now operate at 25 percent capacity.
• Meetings, conferences, and conventions: Large indoor venues can now operate at the lesser of 25 percent or 250 people.
• Places of worship: Large indoor venues can now operate at 25 percent capacity.
• Festivals and general admission outdoor spectator events: Operate at 15 people per 1,000 sq. ft.
• Flea and farmers markets: Operate at 25 percent capacity or 15 people per 1,000 sq. Ft.
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With Windy City Smokeout kicking off festival season in Chicago, officials said there will still be capacity limits in place. It is expected that the event will to host up to 12,500 people per day.
Additionally, all vendors, performers and staff will be required to be fully vaccinated. Attendees will have to prove they’re vaccinated. Non-vaccinated attendees will be allowed, but they’ll have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of trying to enter the event.
In addition, effective immediately, guests that are fully vaccinated – defined as 14 days after receiving their final vaccine dose – will not count towards capacity limits at private events such as weddings. Events must be at a licensed business, they cannot be open to the public, and guests must RSVP prior to the event. Business owners will be responsible for verifying that exempted guests are fully vaccinated and keep records. The city will consider expanding this exemption to other industries in the coming weeks, provided that our COVID-19 metrics continue to improve.
Meanwhile, if the reopening metrics remain stable or continue to decrease for the next two weeks and the city reaches the criteria set by the state, Chicago will join the State of Illinois in moving to the Bridge Phase.
Additional regulations will ease across industries once the city reaches the Chicago Bridge Phase, including expanding operating hours for restaurants and bars. The full reopening guidelines can be found at Chicago.gov/reopening.
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