Entertainment Venue Safety Guidance

Updated: May 28, 2021

As of June 1, 2021, all capacity and gathering size limits are removed within the City of Milwaukee. While events and entertainment venues can operate at 100% capacity without an approved safety plan, the Entertainment Venue COVID-19 Risk Assessment Tool continues to provide guidance for best safety practices when planning a large event.

The purpose of this tool is to assist entertainment venues and event planners with ideas and recommendations to continue to ensure the safety of staff and guests at all large events. The Milwaukee Health Department continues to be available as a resource to help venues and events with individual safety policies by emailing [email protected].

*Please note: Entertainment venues and large gatherings do not need to submit a safety plan or risk assessment tool to the Milwaukee Health Department to host an event.

More CDC guidance on how to make large gatherings safer

Guidance for Large Gatherings

What is a large gathering?

A large gathering brings many people together from multiple households in a private or public space. They are often planned events with a large number of guests and invitations. The gathering may involve lodging, event staff, security, tickets, and long distance travel. Conferences, trade shows, sporting events, festivals, concerts, large weddings or parties, could all be considered a large gathering.

Why are large gatherings allowed to happen during COVID? 

We have made incredible strides as a community to meet our public health goals over the past year. As we continue to prevent severe outcomes, death, and preserve hospital capacity, we feel comfortable lifting the public health orders. We will continue to encourage individuals, businesses, and work places to follow best practices to reduce the spread of the virus. We also encourage all individuals who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, to do so.

How you can continue to do your part to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19:

Get Vaccinated:

• If you are eligible, we recommend you make arrangements to receive the vaccine as soon as possible!
• In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:
  • 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna Vaccines
  • 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
• If you do not meet the fully vaccinated requirements above, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated

Wear a Mask:

• Make sure that your mask is covering your mouth and nose
• Masks prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others
• If you are not fully vaccinated, please wear a mask
• It is okay to continue to wear a mask even if fully vaccinated, if you will be around others not in your immediate group

Wash your Hands:

• Washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs, including COVID-19!
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• If water is not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol

Social Distancing:

• If you are NOT fully vaccinated, please to continue to social distance (6 feet) when possible
• Avoid crowed areas whenever possible
• Avoid crowed poorly vented indoor spaces that do not offer fresh air from the outdoors

What to do if YOU become sick after attending a large gathering

• Get tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible. You can visit Wisconsin Department of Health Services or your local Health Department’s website for latest local testing information
• Attending a large gathering or event increases your risk for being a close contact with people outside of your household and potentially being exposed to COVID-19. If you have had close contact with people that you do not live with:
  • • Stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19 or from the date of the event you attended if you are unsure
    • Watch for fever (100.4°F), cough, shortness of breath, headache, nausea, diarrhea or any other symptom consistent with COVID-19
    • Stay away from others who are at a higher risk for getting the virus (very young, very old, immunocompromised individuals, people with underlying health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, lung disease)
• If you have been fully vaccinated and do NOT show any symptoms, you do not need to quarantine if you have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19