Assemblyman Thiele: Dining Curfews and Catered Event Restrictions to be Lifted
Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. today announced, per Governor Cuomo, that the 12 a.m. food and beverage service curfew will be lifted for outdoor dining areas beginning May 17 and for indoor dining areas beginning May 31. Further, the 1 a.m. curfew for catered events where attendees have provided proof of vaccination status or a recent negative COVID-19 test result will be lifted beginning May 17, with the curfew for all catered events set to be lifted May 31.
Beginning on May 3, catered events are allowed to resume at residences above the current residential gathering limit of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, as long as the events are staffed by a professional, licensed caterer, permitted by the respective locality or municipality, and strictly adhere to health and safety guidance. Also on May 3, the guidance for dancing among attendees at catered events will be aligned with neighboring states, replacing fixed dance zones for each table with social distancing and masks.[1]
“There is no question that our bars, restaurants, and licensed catering companies have been among the hardest hit throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In cooperation with many of our local businesses, I have been working closely with the Governor’s office to urge the lifting of these restrictions,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “As distribution of vaccinations continues to increase, reflected by considerable drops in positive COVID-19 cases across the state, it is certainly time for these businesses to be allowed to operate more normally. I commend the Governor for allowing this invaluable sect of our economy to finally resume and thank all of my constituents who successfully advocated for these necessary changes.”