Crowds Find Way To Navigate Halloween In Chicago Amid Indoor Drinking And Dining Ban
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois broke the one-day case record for the coronavirus for the third day in a row Saturday, as crowds around Chicago gathered for Halloween.
But the crowds could not gather at bars or restaurants because of the indoor dining ban.
As CBS 2's Steven Graves reported, it was not much of a scary sight at all for business owners Saturday night. There was regular traffic out, and a huge factor was the nicer weather.
Most of the tables under tents or on the sidewalks had customers in the West Loop on Saturday. People were walking on Randolph Street in masks.
At Haymarket Pub & Brewery, 737 W. Randolph St., COVID-19 restrictions limited outdoor seating to only about a dozen tables. The inside only had a few people sitting near open doors and windows.
Reservations are a must, and parties have to give one person's information for contact tracing.
But people are finding creative ways to celebrate, like one man we found with a group of people on a scooter and skateboard ride.
Many say the spirit of Halloween is in full effect.
"It never left," said Walker Maffit. "It is as strong as ever, and it's an absolutely gorgeous day to be celebrating it, especially outside."
"Because it's a nice day, people have been kind of out and about," said Haymarket Pub & Brewery Manager Davis Baldwin. "We'll see what happens tonight with the weather changing."
Some restaurants have heaters out to prepare.
Meanwhile, for trick-or-treaters, health experts remind parents and kids to do it safely – keeping that social distance and finding creative ways to hand out candy.