Anchorage Performing Arts Center to Require Vaccination or Negative COVID Test for Live Events

People attending concerts and other events at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage will be required to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test as of September 1, officials said on Wednesday.

The move is aimed at “ensuring the safe and successful return and continuation of live performances in Anchorage,” officials at the downtown theater complex said in an online announcement.

Masks will be mandatory for vaccinated and unvaccinated participants during performances and other events, the statement said.

The announcement marks the first major entertainment venue in Alaska to announce a vaccination or negative test requirement for ticket holders. Last week, the Foo Fighters performed compulsory immunization shows in Anchorage and Fairbanks in front of thousands of spectators.

Large-scale tours are returning to Anchorage after a long hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic as a wave of delta variant hits the state.

“These requirements will remain in place as long as transmission levels in Anchorage are ‘high’ or ‘substantial’,” the announcement said. COVID-19 transmission levels in Anchorage are currently “high” according to CDC guidelines.

The Anchorage Opera, Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, and Anchorage Concert Association are among the organizations planning large-scale live events at the center in the weeks and months to come.

Big events planned for September include weekly burlesque shows, an Anchorage Concert Association performance by The Piano Guys and a musical performance by Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery.

Ticket holders who cannot or do not want to comply with the requirements can get refunds, the center said.