WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Busch Gardens Williamsburg announced Thursday it planned to hold a Coasters and Craft Brews event August 6 -16 at the theme park. The limited attendance, reservation-only event is scheduled to take place inside the park which has remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Reservations for the Coasters and Craft Brews special event are required for all those who attend and will be available starting today," a park spokesperson said. "In compliance with Virginia’s phase 3 safety guidelines for reopening businesses, the park will operate with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face-covering requirements, and temperature screenings. Special event capacity will be extremely limited to create ample space for guests to enjoy their experience while maintaining physical distancing in a safe environment."
Tickets cost $45 and are free to active pass holders.
What remains unclear, at this point, is if or how the event complies with Governor Ralph Northam's enhanced COVID safety plan for eastern Virginia.
"The Governor did not make an exception for Busch Gardens (despite calls to do so)," a spokesperson for the governor said when asked about the theme park's potential reopening. "In addition, they will have to further limit operations to comply with the new regional restrictions on food and beverage services (50 percent capacity and alcohol cutoff), and not promote gatherings of more than 50 people."
According to the park, Coasters and Craft Brews will feature rides such as:
- InvadR
- Griffon
- Loch Ness Monster
- Finnegan’s Flyer
"While the general park remains closed, this new specially ticketed outdoor event will highlight an array of hand-picked park experiences," the park spokesperson added. "At Coasters and Craft Brews, guests will have plenty of open space to explore the charm of select villages including Ireland, Scotland, France and New France, before they take in the thrills of their favorite iconic coasters."
The hours for Coasters and Craft Brews are scheduled to be:
Thursdays
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
“We want to thank our guests for their patience and are so excited to be able to give them a taste of Busch Gardens Williamsburg when we safely welcome them back to enjoy Coasters and Craft Brews,” Kevin Lembke, president of Busch Gardens Williamsburg, said. “The health and safety of our guests and employees is our foremost priority and we are working hard to prepare the park for this special event so guests can join us for a fun and safe experience.”
For more information about COVID safety at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, click here.
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