With Gov. DeSantis' announcement earlier this week that the Phase 2 reopening of Florida is going full steam ahead effective now – which included bars and clubs at a reduced capacity – some local venues are attempting to reopen while complying with social distancing rules and curfews put in place by Orlando and Orange County.
Orange County is currently under a 10 p.m. curfew and Downtown Orlando is under a tighter 8 p.m. nightly curfew – both with no set expiration date – in an ongoing attempt to deter the large and peaceful anti-racism and anti-police brutality protests in the city, spurred by the killing of George Floyd. The 8 p.m. curfew zone shuts off downtown's bustling nightlife almost completely, but businesses outside this zone don't seem to have it much better.
The House of Blues reopened on June 1 (as part of Disney Springs's phased reopening) with their emphasis now on the restaurant and bar, though they do host live music on their front porch. There are currently a slate of new safety procedures in place in light of the coronavirus pandemic included reduced capacity, social distancing recommendations and sanitizing stations. House of Blues is closing at 7 p.m. nightly to comply with Orange County's curfew.
Venue and bar Will's Pub more or less fully reopens today. Will's had for the last few weeks been operating as a package store with to-go cocktails and then set up limited outdoor seating for the Sushi & Seoul food truck. Now Will's and Indies' bars are both open for business with hours from 4-9 p.m., an earlier close due to the curfew. Owner Will Walker promises reduced capacity for social distancing indoors, outdoor seating open, and regular cleaning of surfaces throughout the night. There is no live music planned for the near future.We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Orlando Weekly. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Orlando Weekly, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.
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