Outdoor venue relieved to have mask mandate lifted

HORSE CAVE,  Ky.- Just in time for summer, Kentuckians received news from Governor Andy Beshear, saying the mask mandate has been lifted for outdoor events of 1,000 people or less. This news comes as 1,726,346 Kentuckians have received their first dose of the vaccine.

“If you’re at a backyard barbeque, if you’re at a community pool, if you’re at an outdoor wedding, especially if you’re vaccinated, you’re not required to wear a mask,” Beshear said.

This is good news for staff at outdoor attractions like Kentucky Down Under in Horse Cave.

“We’re super excited. We do still wear these if there is more than 1,000 people, which on a busy day, we don’t run more than a thousand people in the park at a time,” said Kentucky Down Under animal manager Harley White.

Kentuckians are expected to be making more trips to venues like this with the lifting of the mandate outdoors, which will provide a different experience from summer 2020, but one that zoo staff welcome.

“Last summer was kind of a bummer. We were outdoors, but there were a lot of people around, so you still had to wear a mask,” White said.

This is sure to lead to a busy summer for local attractions, but zoo staff wouldn’t have it any other way.

“This summer, I think people will really love being outside in the heat and being able to enjoy it like normal life again,” White said.