FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā For the past three decades, the Las Olas Art Fair has attracted thousands of people to downtown Fort Lauderdale ā a fact that this year has some people concerned.
Some local doctors say theyāre worried the gathering set for this Saturday and Sunday could end up being a COVID-19 super-spreader event, but organizers say theyāre taking precautions to prevent that.
Dr. Joe Arena, a recently retired physician who lives just off of Las Olas Boulevard, joined several other doctors in writing Broward County and the city of Fort Lauderdale to share their concerns about the event.
āThe main concern is the health of the people in this area,ā Arena said. āBy having an affair like this would only bring more people and more congestion, so youāre looking for trouble.ā
Elizabeth Dashiell, a publicist for Howard Alan Events, which puts on the fair, says they understand the concerns but have detailed safety measures in place.
āWe are going to be limiting the number of people who are actually allowed to enter the art walk area, and once there we have people who will be monitoring to ensure that safe social distancing is happening,ā she said.
Organizers say they are also requiring masks and are working to configure artists' tents in a way that theyāre at least 10 feet apart.
Dashiell shared photos from another art festival they put on last month in Alexandria, Virginia, using those protocols, and she says it went well.
āWhat you see is a lot of space, none of the crowds we usually see in Alexandria, which is in fact about the same size as the Las Olas Art Fair.ā
Organizers are asking people to sign up for a time slot and get a free ticket online. If you donāt have one of those tickets, youāll be forced to wait in a socially distanced line if there are too many people in the area already.
As for the doctors, they say they donāt believe the safety protocols will be easily enforced and they are hoping the event can just be postponed until next year.