Events making a comeback as gathering limits ease

WATCH: Event planner Yana Kirakovskaya is making the most of bigger crowd sizes by expanding her company out of Auckland VIDEO: ALANA RAE

Local events are making a comeback as the government continues to ease COVID-19 restrictions.

Indoor gathering limits jumped from 100 to 200 last month, while outdoor gatherings no longer have any limit and do not require the use of face masks.

Founder of event company Papaya Stories, Yana  says she is already “re-strategising” how to grow her events.

“We had about 300 people coming throughout our Glow in the Dark disco event last night,” she says.

“It felt so refreshing and a little bit frightening because there are so many people out there!’”

But two years of on-and-off restrictions has left Kirakovskaya with a wary attitude.

“To be honest, I stopped planning things more than three months in advance,” she says.

“The government has now removed a bit of weight from my shoulders, but I still can’t believe it… I’m just accepting it for now.”

Changes to the red light setting come four months after the government announced the Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme, which covers the costs for events of 100-5000 people, or events that are free to enter.

Labour Minister for Arts and Culture Carmel Sepuloni says she acknowledges the “strain and uncertainty” everyone involved in the live arts sector has faced because of COVID-19 restrictions.

“A critical part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s recovery will be the return of cultural events for Kiwis to enjoy,” she says in a statement.

“The extension of the Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme provides more confidence for organisers to plan events across the motu into the second half of 2022.”

Sepuloni says that the government’s strategy continues to be to slow the spread of Omicron, even as event sizes grow.

“But as we’ve said before,” she says, “when COVID changes, we change.”

Since yesterday, event organisers and business owners have been able choose whether they check patrons’ My Vaccine Pass.

The requirement has also been lifted for events that are using the support scheme.