Covid-19 Safety Procedures

INTRODUCTION


Elliott's Amusements, LLC is a family-owned and carnival operating in the State of Michigan. We operate at 25 fairs and festivals in Michigan each year providing a safe, friendly and appealing atmosphere. The health and welfare of carnival employees and guests on the midway is our top priority in reopening our industry. The procedures and mitigation strategies presented below have been recognized by our industry for protecting carnival employees and guests from potential exposure to COVID-19. By minimizing contacts, promoting social distancing, and increasing cleaning protocols and sanitization, we can welcome guests back to the midway experience safely.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES


  1. To operate carnivals at fairs, festivals, and events in 2021.

  2. To create a safe and healthy environment for our guests and employees that is both manageable and enforceable while maintaining compliance with local, state and federal health and safety orders.

The health, welfare, and safety of carnival employees and guests on the midway is our top priority. The procedures and mitigation strategies presented below have been recognized by our industry for protecting carnival employees and guests from potential exposure to COVID-19. By minimizing contacts, promoting social distancing, and increasing cleaning protocols and sanitization, we can welcome guests back to the midway experience safely.


WHY CARNIVALS DIFFER FROM OTHER MASS GATHERINGS


Carnivals are uniquely different from other mass gatherings such as concerts, movie theaters, and sporting events in the following ways:

  1. The number of attendees is a fluid number. Unlike other events, our patrons attend at their own convenient time frame each day. Some guests may stay for an hour, some may stay 3 4 hours. It is rare that guests will arrive at opening and remain for the full operating day. This unique factor allows us to provide for more patrons spread throughout the day. If necessary, the total number can be regulated by gate and count.
  2. Carnivals can also manage and reduce capacity by:
    a. Featuring less attractions, allowing for social distancing.
    b. Reconfigure attraction placements including widening midway walkways while laying out the midway to allow for queue line placement that includes social distancing.
    c. Utilizing employees to control seating positions in rides and at games by directing nonfamily members to sit in every other seat or station.
    d. Offering ride promotions or pricing discounts during opening non-peak hours to draw more guests to less popular times.

  3. Most carnival attendees travel as a family, which means that they live in the same home and thus do not need to be physically distanced from each other.

  4. Potential exposure times between non same household is generally incidental and below recognized minimum threshold levels because carnival guests move freely through the OUTDOOR midway and are NOT sitting in a single location, elbow to elbow, for an extended period.



GENERAL PRINCIPLES

  • If a guest or employee is sick with COVID-19, was recently exposed (within 14 days) to someone with COVID-19, or just does not feel well, they should not visit the midway.
  • Anyone who is in a high-risk category, as defined by the CDC, should not visit the midway.
  • All guests and employees shall wear a cloth face covering in public areas.
  • All guests and employees shall practice social distancing protocols in public areas per local regulations.
  • Carnivals shall communicate and inform guests and employees of all the new protocols and procedures prior to arrival through employee training, social media, traditional announcements, and signage.
  • There will be a designated individual on staff responsible for coordinating COVID-19 policies and procedures with the event producer and local health department.
  • The COVID-19 coordinator shall document the execution of all protocols on a daily basis.


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