MerleFest’s COVID precautions reviewed | New

The organizers worked closely with national and local health authorities to determine and implement these steps, said MerleFest director Ted Hagaman.

This includes requiring people to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours of entering the festival.

Upon presentation of proof of compliance with one of these requirements at the entrance to the festival, a person will be given a “good” bracelet to wear throughout the event. This is in addition to the wristbands supplied with the tickets.

Hagaman said the evidence can be the original or a photo copy of a vaccination card or a negative test, but the entire document must be legible. Photo ID is also required. He said the negative test requirement applies to children of all ages, according to state health officials.

He said losing or removing a well bracelet would mean having to repeat the process of proving eligibility.

“State and local health officials and the CDC strongly recommend this step and the live music industry is now demanding it to make large gatherings of people as safe as possible,” Hagaman said.

He said testing will be available locally, but with limited capacity. “We strongly recommend anyone who needs a test to do so before going to the festival,” he added.

“We are planning testing at three sites on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (September 13-15) of the week of the festival so that anyone in the immediate Wilkes area can be tested for free in the hopes that a large segment can be tested and received its good wristband before outside fans arrive.

Test sites will be set up in the main ticket office plaza, next to the WCC Culinary Building on Beacon Hill and in the Herring Hall parking lot off Oakwoods Road. All three locations will be open from noon to 7 p.m. on each of the three days.

“If you choose to wait (to get tested) until you get to the festival, you might find yourself waiting in a long line instead of enjoying the music inside the festival. Your action before you arrive will make a huge difference in how quickly we get you into the festival.

Hagaman said that, as demanded by state health officials, tests must be provided by licensed medical providers and results of rapid home tests will not be accepted.

He said social distancing is not necessary, “but logic tells us we need to be responsive in crowds and keep adequate space between you and other festival-goers.”

To help alleviate congestion in the ticketing area, the following will open / start at 1:30 p.m. on the first day of the festival and 9:30 a.m. each of the following three days: gates, ticket booth, shuttles, check cooler, and shops / vendors crafts. A new festival exit for pedestrians will be added where the Yadkin River Greenway connects to the WCC.

Hagaman cited other measures to reduce clutter and also mask requirements.

Masks are to be worn throughout the interior of the event, including the Walker Center Stage, Austin Stage, Watson Stage backstage, and portable bathroom trailers. In addition, fewer people will be allowed in the MerleFest museum at a time.

The Mayes Pit Stage will not be open this year due to the small size of its auditorium and the difficulty in increasing airflow there.

To have fewer people behind the scenes, side seating for clients and backstage tours will not be offered.

Much of the seating under the large catering tent will be relocated, so this area will primarily be used for the preparation and sale of food and drink and for queuing customers.

The old R&R tent will be a place to eat, with properly spaced tables and chairs. A shade tent will be set up where the raffle tent was located, with seating, a nursing room and a changing table.

“Bring your masks and we will all mask ourselves on entering,” Hagaman said. Federal regulations require masks when driving a festival shuttle or van, he added.

The MerleFest COVID-19 protocol strongly encourages unvaccinated participants to wear masks at all times during the event and that everyone wear them in high concentrations of people, even if they are vaccinated.

As part of the protocol, masks are highly recommended for children. For the safety of young participants, the junk exchange, crafts, large sandbox, DIY bubbles, arcade style games and petting zoo have been removed from the Little Picker area this year. The annual Acoustic Kids Showcase will not be taking place. The Little Pickers stage will always offer programming for children.

School Day, when admission is free for students of certain grade levels, will not be offered this year.

Inventory in the MerleFest Mall will be limited to items by this year’s performing artists, Doc and Merle Watson items, and other select offerings. Masks are recommended for everyone in this area.

All heritage craft kiosks will be in tents that allow vendors to face the outdoors.

Hagaman encouraged to continually wash or disinfect their hands to avoid spreading the disease. More than 100 hand washing and disinfection stations are added to the festival grounds. He said WCC surveillance staff and festival cleaning crews will clean and disinfect high-traffic areas throughout the event, as well as waste.

All festival volunteers, staff, food workers and shuttle drivers will be required to complete a health certificate before starting a shift each day.

Wilkes Health Department staff will be on site to monitor health practices. They will also offer free vaccines to volunteers and staff before the festival and to participants during the event.

“The fans of MerleFest have always been respectful of each other and we are all here to enjoy the music and the traditions,” Hagaman said.

“I challenge everyone to do the right thing. This will help us achieve our goal of having a safe and successful event for everyone involved, ”he concluded.