Catching one of these Duke Energy Center shows? You’ll need to be vaccinated
The five resident companies of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts will require proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test starting next week, the venue announced Wednesday.
Beginning Oct. 1, attendees going to a concert or event by the Carolina Ballet, North Carolina Opera, North Carolina Symphony, North Carolina Theatre or PineCone will need to show they have been fully vaccinated. If they aren’t vaccinated, they will need to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken not more than 72 hours before they enter the venue.
The requirement is being put in place “in order to ensure a safe return to live, indoor performances and productions this fall,” Duke Energy Center said in a release.
Those who cannot show proof of vaccination or a negative test can contact the ticket office for the company whose show they want to see to discuss “flexible options” for their tickets, the venue said.
Those options include getting a refund for the shows a customer cannot attend, or exchanging tickets for a future show, said Michelle Bradley, the assistant general manager at Duke Energy Center. Refunds are also available to anyone who holds a season pass for either of the five companies.
Customers who don’t want a refund can also opt to donate the money spent on their tickets to the performing organizations, all of which are nonprofits, Bradley said in an interview.
Events held by other performers at Duke Energy Center may have varying entry requirements, and attendees for those shows should consult the event page on the venue’s website, she said.
Unlike some venues which have implemented vaccination and testing requirements for all shows, Duke Energy Center is allowing individual promoters and artists to decide their own policies.
“They know their demographics the best, they know the audience members the best, and they know what their cast members want,” Bradley said Friday.
For all shows, regardless of vaccine requirement, everyone visiting Duke Energy Center needs to wear a mask, under the city of Raleigh’s ongoing mask mandate.
Additional safety measures being implemented include meeting HVAC air filtration and circulation requirements, using “enhanced cleaning procedures” and providing hand sanitizer throughout the venue.
The companies are the latest event organizers to require vaccination for admission, as several venues and festivals held in the Triangle announced similar requirements in time for their fall lineups of concerts and events.
Live Nation Entertainment, which stages shows at two Raleigh venues, Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek and The Ritz, announced in August it would require patrons to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for all shows starting Oct. 4.
Organizers of the annual World of Bluegrass festival, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 and will be held at venues in downtown Raleigh, including the Duke Energy Center, also said attendees will need to show they’ve been vaccinated.
The News & Observer has been tracking which Triangle venues and festivals are requiring vaccination this fall.
To find everywhere you’ll need to show proof that you’ve been vaccinated, or tested negative for COVID, check The N&O’s full list, which will be updated as more venues and festivals announce their policies.
This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 10:43 AM.
