Middle Georgia NYE celebrations cancelled amid COVID rise

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- Plans to ring in the new year in Middle Georgia are in flux and under review as COVID rates are rising in the area.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, in the last two weeks, Bibb County has had 688 people test positive for COVID; Houston County has had 469 people test positive.

It amounts to one of the sharpest increases in the number of cases in our area since September.

As a result, some celebrations scheduled for New Year’s Eve have been cancelled. The Hay House cancelled it’s Gatsby-era 1920s themed ball. “Our board felt that the dangers far outweighed the benefits,” said Ennis Willis, director at The Hay House.

Also, the Allman Family Revival Live at the Macon City Auditorium has been postponed and rescheduled.

Devon Allman posted on Facebook: “Hey y’all, I’m gutted to report that someone in our camp has just tested positive for COVID. We thought maybe we could squeak out the New Year’s Eve show, but to play it safe, the Allman Family Revival Show for New Year’s Eve in Macon, Georgia will now be moved to February 11th.”

“We want a safe experience for our audience, band, crew, and special guests. This is a very difficult decision as we were so looking forward to ringing in 2022 with you all,” added Allman.

David Aiello, General Manager of the Macon Centreplex Coliseum & Auditorium released this statement:

Out of an abundance of caution for our guests, artists, and staff, the Allman Family Revival scheduled for Friday, December 31, 2021 has been postponed and will be rescheduled to February 11, 2022. With this change in date, the lineup is also subject to change and more information will be released shortly. Your original ticket is still valid for this new show date and there is no action required on your part.

Should you prefer a refund, one will be provided to you from your original point of purchase. For those who purchased tickets online through ticketmaster.com, simply log into your account to request a refund. For those who purchased in person at the Macon Coliseum box office, please return to the box office on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10am to 5pm. Refunds will be made available for 30 days until January 29, 2022. Refunds will not be available after this date. Please allow up to 14 business days for your refund to process back to your original form of payment. Ticketmaster is the verified ticketing provider for the Macon Coliseum and Macon City Auditorium. We are not responsible for tickets purchased from unverified ticketing sites or outlets. Please reach out to your original point of purchase for refund inquiries.

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you at the show in February!

In Atlanta, rising cases led the city cancel its New Year’s Eve Peach Drop.

Other celebrations are planning to continue in Middle Georgia despite the rise in COVID cases. The Perry Buzzard Drop is one of them. It starts at 7pm Friday. There will be live music and food trucks. They also plan to broadcast the UGA-Michigan playoff game.

How can you celebrate safely?

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told CNN on Monday that it should be OK to gather with a small group gathering at home with family if everyone is vaccinated and boosted. there is no need to cancel small home gatherings among vaccinated and boosted family and friends.

But he added, “When you’re talking about a New Year’s Eve party, we have 30, 40, 50 people celebrating, you do not know the status of their vaccination, I would recommend strongly stay away from that this year. There will be other years to do that, but not this year.

According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. is now averaging more than 198,000 COVID cases each day, which is the highest daily average since January 19th, 2021.