Restaurants, bars and event venues have been some of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic. They have had to navigate and adapt to a fluid situation, weighing how to continue to bring in business while protecting staff and customers from an invisible enemy. But, as we close in on a year since the pandemic started, some venues and organizations have brought back small-scale, socially-distanced events. They’ve committed to following safety protocols while indoors. Sanitizing stations and signs are generally present, reminding customers to wear their masks and take precautions. We swung by events at Mile Wide Beer Co. and Tim Faulkner Gallery to see what they looked like. 

Over the weekend, Mile Wide teamed up with Harvey’s Cheese to create a beer and cheese pairing for those who wanted to get something special to take home. The brewery also hosted the Valentine’s Vintage Pop-Up with the Germantown Vintage Collective for customers in the brewery. 

Taproom Manager at Mile Wide Aaron Wilkins noted that customers are pretty familiar with the fact that masks are a must. “People kind of know what to expect when they come in here, which is awesome. People know there’s no fooling around, no putting their masks down, we’re pretty strict about it.” 

The Tim Faulkner Gallery also hosted an event on Saturday night, featuring bluegrass bands and a few vendors. Sanitizing stations were placed throughout the gallery, attendees had their temperatures checked at the door and mask wearing was enforced throughout the event. Co-owner Margaret Archambault noted that for their first indoor event, everyone adhered to the safety precautions. “People now at this point in the pandemic are naturally distancing themselves,” said Archambault. 

Here are our photos from the events.