The events industry is celebrating getting back to work for the first time in 14 months. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has released new capacity rules for private gatherings, tied to the state’s color-coded re-opening tiers, which will go into effect starting April 15th. As a Buzz Contributor and local event planner, I’m excited to share information and guidelines as they are released in the coming weeks.
Here’s what we currently know. According to the California Association for Private Events (CAPE), CDPH has confirmed the following capacity tiers:
In the Purple Tier, events are only allowed outdoors and capacity is limited to 25 people. If all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination, capacity increases to up to 100 people.
In the Red Tier, outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people, and capacity increases to 200 if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination. In this tier, indoor activities are allowed if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination; capacity is limited to 100 people.
In the Orange Tier, outdoor gatherings are limited to 100 people, and capacity increases to 300 if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination. In this tier, indoor activities are allowed if all guests are tested or show full proof of vaccination; capacity is limited to 150 people.
In the Yellow Tier, outdoor gatherings are limited to 200 people, and capacity increases to 400 if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination. In this tier, indoor activities are allowed if all guests are tested or show full proof of vaccination; capacity is limited to 200 people.
While this is very encouraging information, there are still questions surrounding masks, social distancing, dancing and more. Official state protocols will be published in the coming weeks and can be modified by each county. (LA County hasn’t weighed in yet.) But It looks like it’s time to begin to plan birthdays, graduation parties, showers, holidays and gasp….weddings! Stay tuned for a clearer picture of guidelines to come and advice on how and when to plan your celebrations.
