Title
Recommendation to Cancel the 2020 Fourth of July Parade to Avoid Mass Gatherings Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Recreation 280)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Alameda 4th of July Parade (Parade) is a community event that celebrates its 44th year in 2020 and draws 60,000 spectators. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns with mass gatherings and necessary social distancing, staff recommends canceling the 2020 Parade.
BACKGROUND
On January 7, 2020, the City Council approved funding and staffing for the City of Alameda (City) to coordinate the parade after the long-time volunteers of the Parade Foundation officially retired. Only two months later, the COVID-19 virus grew to become a pandemic and on March 31, 2020, the nine Bay Area counties, including Alameda County, implemented a Shelter in Place (SIP) order.
DISCUSSION
The Parade spans the length of Alameda Island and has an estimated 60,000 spectators. Given the extensive breadth of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strong need for social distancing to reduce the spread and impact of the virus, staff recommends canceling the Parade. With tens of thousands of people gathering across three miles of roadway, it would not be possible to maintain appropriate social distance of 6 feet between people. At his press briefing on April 14, Governor Newsome stated that possibility of mass gatherings through this summer is "unlikely" as the fight against COVID-19 continues.
The Parade also takes a significant amount of time and resources to coordinate. City staff has continued to research and coordinate a variety of aspects of the Parade during the SIP period. However, if the uncertainty and possibility of cancelation continues into late May or June, this leaves little time to complete the extensive coordination required for the Parade, including soliciting volunteers and local business sponsorships. A portion of the budget depends on business sponsorshi...
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