Live Outdoor Events Can Resume April 1 In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The audiences will not be large, but starting April 1, live outdoor concerts, sporting events and other entertainment can resume in Riverside County, the county confirmed Tuesday.

The number of spectators allowed at venues will be dependent on a county’s color-coded tier of the state’s reopening framework. Riverside County remains in the state's most restrictive purple tier, but if cases continue to decline officials are optimistic the region might progress into the red tier by next month.

On April 1, the following will be allowed in each of the tiers (physical distancing and masking are required for all tiers):

• Purple tier: Outdoor sports and other live events with an audience of 100 people or fewer are allowed. Reservations are required and only visitors from within 120 miles will be allowed to attend. Concession and concourse sales will not be allowed within the purple tier.

• Red tier: Spectators are allowed up to 20 percent capacity. In-seat concession sales are allowed, but concourse sales are not. Visitors from within California are allowed only.

• Orange tier: Spectator capacity increases to 33 percent. Visitors allowed from within California.

• Yellow tier: Spectator capacity increases to 67 percent. Visitors allowed from within California.

“As we continue to recover from this pandemic, we’re encouraged to see more places and events reopening in our county,” said Riverside County Board Chair Karen Spiegel, Second District Supervisor. “One way to help reopen even more places is to get a PCR COVID-19 test. It helps us slow the spread of the disease, and also helps meet the state’s metrics.”

Spiegel confirmed during Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting that only PCR tests — not antigen tests — are counted by the state to determine the local adjusted COVID-19 case rate. Of all the state metrics used to calculate tier levels, the adjusted case rate is the only one that currently prevents Riverside County from progressing into the red tier.

Several of the counties largest outdoor live events — Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival and the Stagecoach country-music festival — have already been cancelled for 2021. The BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells has been postponed, and a future 2021 date has not been announced. The Temecula Valley Balloon And Wine Festival was also cancelled.

RELATED: Restrictions Continue In Riverside County As Vaccination Expands