After many festivals and other gatherings were shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, many states have begun taking their ‘baby-steps’ to normalcy. Rhode Island’s Governor Daniel McKee is ready to bring music back to his area. “There will be music in Newport this summer,” Governor Mckee said during a Thursday briefing.

Newport, Rhode Island, which is the home of the famous Newport Folk Festival, may make a return as Governor McKee has shared that the state will be able to have musical events this summer. “Governor McKee has indicated that we will be able to have events this summer with modified capacities,” festival organizers took to social media saying.

At the briefing, Governor McKee and Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor said that events with up to 1000 attendees or 10 percent capacity can happen starting on May 1. Events with larger numbers may begin July 15.

Other states like New York and California have begun their reopening process as well. New York has declared that music venues can reopen with 33 percent capacity in April. This news came after President Biden said that the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to all Americans by May.

In New York, large stadiums that seat nearly 10,000 people will be able to open up at a 10 percent capacity for sports and music events. Mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing must still be followed during the reopening.

California announced that stadiums, theme parks and outdoor concerts can begin reopening as early as April 1. The reopening will begin following standard procedures such as reduced capacity, mandatory mask-wearing and other health precautions.