First Concert since Shutdown

We had a very successful first concert (since March 2020) on Sunday, September 5 with almost 900 fans for Melissa Etheridge.  Read the Day review here.

Vax cards and masks were required for the two-hour-long concert. There was no intermission in order to reduce congestion in the lobby.

Other new amenities introduced to minimize congestion include a Digital Playbill, and, concessions pre-ordering from your phone to avoid long lines at the bars.

A post-show survey rated how well the Garde succeeded in making people feel safe: 59% said “very well” and 30% said, “exceeded all expectations.”

The audience scored the sound quality and Garde staff at 95%.

There were numerous suggestions for improvements from the survey which we will take into consideration as we continue to reopen.

Recent Schedule Changes

Ticket buyers will be notified by email or may contact the Garde Box office at boxoffice@gardearts.org or by calling 860-444-7373 ext 1 Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm

COVID POLICIES AND PRECAUTIONS:
As of August 4, 2021 masks are required for all Garde patrons within the venue, except when eating or drinking, per City mandate through October.
Proof of full vaccination or negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hours prior to events will be required for entry until further notice.

Patrons will be notified on a regular basis as to the protocol which may be in place for any particular event, which could include, masks, proof of full vaccination, or a negative Covid test within 48 hours prior to the event.

All Garde staff and volunteers are vaccinated and will remain masked during Garde events.

There will be no mandated social distancing, though sales limits will be in place.  For details on the projected capacity for any particular event, please contact the box office.

The Garde will honor all tickets purchased for future shows for the same seat if the show is rescheduled.

Thank you for your cooperation.

A SAFE THEATER

The Garde Arts Center is one of the safest indoor theaters in Connecticut.

In January of 2021, an independent firm, Sustainable Engineering Solutions, completed an analysis of the air handling systems for all Garde-owned properties which confirmed the quality of our heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. Our recently installed state-of-the-art rooftop units meet or exceed recommended standards.

In the auditorium, for example, within a 20-minute period, the air is completely replaced with outside air. The theater system has double filtration and MERV 14 filters, which, along with the theater’s extremely high ceiling and large volume, make the Garde especially safe for audiences.

In the lobbies, the air is replaced with outside air every 7 minutes and the HVAC systems have been augmented with additional filtration and ultraviolet sterilization.  There are touchless amenities and hand sanitizer stations throughout the lobbies.

VACCINATION INFORMATION

Before entry into the lobby, every audience member will be asked to show documentation indicating full vaccination.  A patron is considered “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19 by a two-dose mRNA vaccine (such as Moderna and Pfizer), or a single dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson), two weeks after the final dose of vaccine (the second dose for a two-dose regimen, or the single dose for a single-dose regimen). Please keep your documentation handy.

Acceptable proof of full vaccination include:

  • Vaccination card (which includes the name of the person vaccinated, type of vaccine provided, and date of the last dose administered) OR
  • a photo of a vaccination card as a separate document OR
  • a photo of the attendee’s vaccine card stored on a phone or electronic device OR documentation of vaccination from a healthcare provider electronic health record or state Immunization Information System record.

Those individuals unable to be fully vaccinated, including children under 12, must present before entry into the lobby proof of a negative Covid PCR test (taken within 72 hours of performance). Negative test results that are not from a test provider, a laboratory, or a health care provider cannot be accepted.

Acceptable proof of a negative COVID-19 test result include:

  • Printed document (from the test provider or laboratory) OR
  • an email or text message displayed on a phone or electronic device from the test provider or laboratory.
  • The information provided should include the name of the person tested, the type of test performed, and the date of the negative test result (date of negative PCR test result must be within prior 72 hours).