On Tuesday, Codfish Hollow updated their website and Facebook page to inform concertgoers that they would require a proof of full vaccination and a matching ID for entry to the venue. It's the first venue in the state to require proof of full vaccination for entry. Their statement reads:
“In accordance with recommendations by the CDC and thoughtful consideration by the Codfish Hollow team, we will require proof of full vaccination in order to attend any Codfish Hollow shows during the 2021 season. We will continue to monitor the circumstances and adjust as necessary. Please watch your email and check our Facebook page and web page regularly for updates.
Please note that we are staffed and run by volunteers, which includes responding to email and Facebook messages. Please allow 24-48 hours for replies to your inquiries. Also note that we will not be responding to negative or argumentative Facebook posts. Anyone engaging in a negative or argumentative manner may be banned from the page. We have put a lot of thought and careful consideration into this decision, and it is not negotiable. We are a private business and are making decisions that we feel will protect our livelihood as well as that of the community we hold so dear.
Entry procedures:
1. Bring a printed copy, image or app that can verify your FULL vaccination status.
2. Bring an appropriate ID which will match the name on your vaccination record
3. Bring a printed or digital copy of your ticket.
4. Bags, purses and backpacks are subject to a respectful search by our security team. If you wish to have this search done by an individual of the same sex, please let them know at the ticket gate.
5. No outside food, drink, weapons or the like will be allowed past the ticket gate. Confiscated items may be held at the gate for return at the end of the evening. Please leave any of these items inside your vehicle in the upper pasture/parking lot.
6. Masks are not required but are strongly encouraged, particularly when social distancing cannot be practiced. We will have masks available for those who wish to wear one or have forgotten to bring one.
7. Extra hand washing stations will be available. Hand sanitizer will also be available around the venue grounds.
8. High touch areas (upper/lower bar, merch counter, porta-potties) will be cleaned regularly by our volunteers. You are also advised to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
9. DO NOT attend the show if you have recent (within the past 48 hours) symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea), even if you have been vaccinated. If this occurs within a couple days prior to the show, contact us to see if we can arrange a refund.
10. Children under the age of 12 will not be permitted to attend the show. This one is hard for us, too. We look forward to reuniting all our Codfish family in the future. Please keep your kids safe.
Again, we want you to know that a LOT of discussion, research and hand wringing went into these decisions. Our decisions are not made to be offensive to anyone and they are not open for negotiation. We really look forward to the day that we don’t have to enact these restrictions, so please get vaccinated if you can and keep yourself and your loved ones safe. We look forward to seeing you at the Barn soon.”
Both outrage and support followed in comments on the venue's Facebook page, with fans' opinions about the choice ranging from thank you notes to declarations to never return to the barn.
Ani DiFranco is scheduled to play a show there on Thursday, August 19. She says she’s all for the new requirement, and that, as an artist who is on tour, she feels safer playing the show with the vaccine requirement.
"It'll be our first show in a year and a half, and we've wanted to do it as safely and as conscientiously as we can," DiFranco told IPR's Mark Simmet in an interview. "It's still a tricky time to navigate the pandemic and the right course of action... Apologies to all the folks out there about a little bit of rigamarole that you may have to go through to be a part of a live music event, but the last thing we want to do is put anybody in jeopardy. And so, I very much want to get out there and play music and feel human and be connected with my fellow humans, but I don't want to put anybody in jeopardy. Forgive the rigamarole, but I really plan to make it worthwhile."
