Dear Zimfest Community,
I’m writing to announce that the Zimfest Association Board, based on work by the Covid safety committee, recently adopted a masking policy for Zimfest. This policy applies to indoor spaces at the Skagit County Fairgrounds, as well as a nearby senior center where some events are held:
We expect all Zimfest participants to mask at all times while indoors at the Festival. Currently, western Washington is experiencing a second increase of Omicron Covid infections. The highly infectious Omicron Covid variants have demonstrated an ability to evade immunity from vaccines, previous infections, or both. Consequently, we are asking for masking at all times when indoors at Zimfest, using N95, KN95 or surgical masks. Zimfest will have surgical masks available. Teachers may require that all participants in their workshops wear masks. We ask this with consideration, allowing us to include as many at-risk members as possible, and holding the best of intentions for a healthy gathering of our Zimfest community. We will depend on each other to uphold this safety standard, and encourage participants to speak up with reminders or requests for indoor masking.
“Zimfest participants” in this context includes: teachers, performers, workshop participants, indoor volunteers, vendors and workers contracted by Zimfest.
Please plan to bring your favorite style of N95, KN95, or surgical masks with you to the festival. Further details on Covid safety can be found on the Zimfest website.
Sincerely,
Alex Weeks
President, Zimfest Association
“We ask this with consideration, allowing us to include as many at-risk members as possible, and holding the best of intentions for a healthy gathering of our Zimfest community. We will depend on each other…”
Thank you for expressing this so simply and perfectly.
Safety. Inclusion. Mutual protection of a rare community.
A couple of questions. Masks are required indoors at the Fairgrounds and senior center…but it sounds like it’s up to the teachers to decide whether masks are worn in classes. Where are the classes held? Are masks also optional during the evening concerts? Thanks
The workshops will be held indoors in Fairgrounds buildings and in the Senior Center. You can see the specific locations here https://zimfest.org/location/map/. All Zimfest participants are expected to mask at all times in the workshop rooms. Additionally, teachers can require that all participants in their workshops wear masks. Finally, we expect Zimfest concert-goers to mask at all times while at the Lincoln Theatre. Complete details on Covid safety at Zimfest can be found here https://zimfest.org/festival/covid-safety/.
I am teaching at Zimfest this year inside one of the (cavernous, barn-like) Fairgrounds buildings. I will be masked and expect my students to be masked as well. I welcome all students who share this expectation and, as the COVID Safety committee expressed so well, are willing to depend on each other to uphold this safety standard.