CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago will see the return of cultural events this summer, including a concert series solely for people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, officials announced Tuesday.
The Protect Chicago Music Series begins later this month and will require ticketholders to show their COVID-19 vaccination cards and photo identification. Only those who are two weeks past the second vaccine dose or single-dose Johnson & Johnson will be eligible to attend.
“We will never mandate that Chicagoans get a vaccine but this is a creative way to incentivize people to step up and get it, especially younger people,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said in a statement. “If we’re to get out of this pandemic, we need people to get vaccinated. It’s safe, it’s effective, it’s free and it’s the best way to protect yourself, your family and your community.”
The news came as Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday announced the return of several other festivals and cultural events. Already, city officials have said the Chicago Auto Show will return with safety measures including crowd limits.
The cultural events include music festivals, pop-up concerts, dance events and theatre with safety protocols in place. Lightfoot said the city will also promote vaccinations at some events.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.