New Jersey Lifts All Indoor Gathering Limits, Officially Ends COVID Health Emergency
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey has officially ended its COVID health emergency. Also today, all indoor gathering limits are removed.
That means weddings, funerals, performances, political gatherings and other catered and commercial events can go on with unlimited attendance.
There had been a 30% capacity limit for indoor large venues with a fixed seating capacity over 1,000, but no longer.
One Atlantic Events, a wedding venue in Atlantic City, says their phone has been ringing off the hook since it was announced that starting today there would no longer be indoor capacity limits.
As workers stock the bar with beverages, others put chairs in place and got tables ready here at One Atlantic Events.
Saturday will be the venue's first wedding in more than a year now that there are no longer capacity limits in New Jersey.
"Not that we're not lucky people, but it just feels that we got so lucky," bride Leslie Feriozzi said.
The happy couple planned to say their I do's here a year and a half ago, never changing the date of their big day.
"It's so exciting, especially because we're the first wedding back at One Atlantic. It's just unbelievable," Feriozzi said.
The lifting of indoor capacity limits in the Garden State comes a week since its indoor mask mandate ended.
"So it means we are fully open for business after 15 months," said Elizabeth McGlinn with One Atlantic Events.
Also ending in New Jersey Friday is restrictions on dance floors.
"I'm just looking forward to everything being back to normal, everything opening up, people like enjoying their summer and everything going back to normal," groom Waleed Omar said.
"I'm excited that I'm paying for hair and makeup and I don't have to put a mask over it," Feriozzi said.
Still, some event planners are still choosing to incorporate the outdoors. The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival is now being held at a big open space at Bader Field instead of inside the area's convention center.
"We think the outside was a good temporary fix," said Jon Henderson with Good Time Tricycle Productions.
The AC Beer and Music Festival begins at 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday night. There are still tickets available.
Here on the boardwalk, many families are looking forward to a sunny weekend down the shore.
