The Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield has been unseasonably quiet this summer, similar to other entertainment spaces across the region. From Heath to Shelburne, Orange to Bernardston, summertime in Franklin County is usually full of live music, local fairs and unique activities like an Irish road bowling event held in Conway a few years back.
This year is different.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic effectively put an end to business as usual. Instead of fried dough and prize-winning heifers, 2020’s warmest months will be remembered in correlation with face masks and stay-at-home orders, which are just now being lifted after months of isolation.
We’re emerging to a new world.
Recently, Massachusetts entered the third phase of its reopening plan, which, among other things, allows some entertainment events to take place with specific restrictions. Museums have reopened featuring floor markings dictating where people should stand; galleries are allowing a limited number of viewers to browse their walls; live musicians are once again taking the stage for drive-in shows.
In this, area venues are doing their part to ensure the safety of everyone while bringing a sense of normalcy in a time that’s anything but normal.
For example, Roll On In, a recently launched stage at the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, is designed around pandemic precautions. A stage overlooks a grassy section of the fairgrounds where cars can park and take in the shows, which are scheduled to take place every weekend through September. Attendees must stay in their allotted parking spaces and if they leave to buy food or go to the restroom, they must wear face masks.
The precautions were outlined by the state’s reopening guidelines and are being overseen by the town’s Board of Health, which has the power to shut things down if they’re not being met. For attendees, meeting the requirements — wearing a mask outside of parking spaces, not mingling with other groups — is a cheap price to pay for the safety of everyone. It’s good to hear music rising from the fairgrounds once again.
But it’s a fragile balance.
Following opening weekend, the Greenfield Board of Health convened an emergency meeting to discuss a few safety concerns with event producers in a conference call. Apparently, board members were concerned that the concert venue hadn’t been totally code compliant, specifically in regard to use of masks, social distancing and occupancy limits.
In subsequent visits on opening day, board members noticed attendees who weren’t wearing masks and were not socially distancing. A question about the space’s occupancy limit was also raised by the board, though these issues were ultimately dismissed as a misunderstanding by the venue of the state’s latest guidance.
Ultimately, the board did not come to any new decisions; the concerts will continue under close scrutiny.
In this, we’re happy to hear they can continue. At the same time, the meeting highlights a broader question that must be confronted by everyone, not just event organizers: What responsibility does the public have when it comes to following outlined precautions?
At the meeting with the Board of Health, Roll On In organizers stressed they took extensive measures to enforce the rules on opening day. But they can’t be everywhere at once.
The rules were clearly laid out; some attendees simply didn’t comply, mingling with other groups and shirking their responsibility to the detriment of all.
This is a microcosm of what’s playing out across the nation right now: The carelessness of a few could cause others to suffer needlessly.
The oft-quoted adage, “This is why we can’t have nice things,” seems applicable in this case.
By following strict distancing precautions, Massachusetts residents have decreased the prevalence of COVID-19 in the state. Notably, fewer cases doesn’t mean the danger has passed. And if the rules aren’t followed, the opportunity to view live entertainment might be taken away altogether.
Addressing a recent uptick in cases statewide, Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday signaled that the reopening plan could be reversed if precautions aren’t taken seriously.
“We’ve only had a slight uptick from 1.7 percent to 2 percent, but we’ll be forced to adjust our plans if the data warrants it,” Baker said.
Obviously, a rollback would be a serious blow to Franklin County’s entertainment scene, which has struggled to stay afloat these past few months as it is.
So, for the sake of everyone, please be responsible and take precautions seriously.