KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After photos and videos circulated on social media showing a large gathering of people at Kansas City’s Power and Light District on Thursday night, a spokesperson says the district was complaint with Kansas City’s State of Emergency ordinances.
People gathered at the Kansas City LIVE block to take in the Hot Country Nights event, which features live music.
However, most people captured in the video were not social distancing or wearing masks.
Was taking a neighborhood walk with my girlfriend and we were both surprised to hear live music from the area of power and light.
— Zachary (@ZachIsHere) August 14, 2020
We went in and this is what we saw.
We may have been the only two people not employed by a business there that were wearing a mask. pic.twitter.com/U5BoBVFTWK
“Was taking a neighborhood walk with my girlfriend and we were both surprised to hear live music from the area of power and light,” he said.
“We went in and this is what we saw,” he said. “We may have been the only two people not employed by a business there that were wearing a mask.”
Following the video, 41 Action News reached out to the district for comment.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, it has been incredibly important to the Power & Light District that we comply in every way with the regulations imposed by the City of Kansas City’s State of Emergency ordinances,” spokesperson Rachel Waller said in a statement.
“Because the Power & Light District’s outdoor plaza is an outdoor venue, guests are not required to wear masks when in attendance,” she said.
The district says all the restaurants surrounding the outdoor venue require masks at the door.
On Thursday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas extended the city’s state-of-emergency through January of next year.
Some of the requirements with order include:
Exceptions to the face-covering requirements include:
- Minors, with strong guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas City Health Department that children over aged two wear face coverings.
- People who have disabilities that:
- Prevent them from comfortably wearing or taking off face coverings.
- Prevent them from communicating while wearing face coverings.
- People who have respiratory conditions or breathing trouble.
- People who have been told by a medical, legal, or behavioral health professional not to wear face coverings.
- People who are seated in a restaurant or tavern and are actively engaged in consuming food or drink while adequately distanced from other patrons.
“Though it’s not required by City ordinance, the Power & Light District has encouraged its guests to wear masks outside when not seated or actively eating or drinking in any outdoor venue from the first day that it re-opened during the pandemic,” Waller said.
She also said all employees are taking extra safety precautions during their shifts.
