Cultural Institutions and Businesses in Milwaukee’s Hospitality and Performing Arts Industries Urge Milwaukee-area Residents to Get Vaccinated

Milwaukee venues, restaurants, cultural institutions and businesses have joined together to urge Milwaukee-area residents to please get vaccinated in order to protect public health, safely reengage in Milwaukee’s arts, dining and entertainment scenes and slow the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. This week, the businesses and organizations involved will be posting to their social media channels and sending emails to their customer lists encouraging vaccinations. The group aims to boost local vaccination rates with the call to action.

“Setting aside all politics, we’re here to build businesses back and to make our cultural experiences and communities engaging again. Based on an abundance of information, it seems as though increasing our vaccination rate is the key to doing so. If you can, please get vaccinated so that we all have a better chance of staying healthy and staying in business.”

• David Caruso, President and Creative Director of Dynamic Events by David Caruso

“People are eager to enjoy our community’s expansive cultural and entertainment offerings without restrictions. This will become a reality when more people are vaccinated against COVID-19. As the vaccinated population increases, so does the health of our community, our economy and our ability to safely gather in our favorite public spaces.” 

• Ellen Censky, President & CEO of the Milwaukee Public Museum

“Since March of 2020, I have watched countless restaurants close, and some never to be able to be open again. I closed my doors before Governor Evers gave the stay at home order. My staff and I pivoted our restaurant to take out, and maintained a steady take out operation until June of 2021 when we re-opened again to the public for on premise dining. We got vaccinated because we believe in the science. We got vaccinated because we wanted to be able to safely serve the public again in person and also keep ourselves and family members who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated yet safe. We got vaccinated because we want this to END. We NOW are at risk of losing all of this again. We are at risk of having to close the doors, we are at risk of bringing the disease back home with us to the ones who are still waiting to be vaccinated. Most of all, more restaurants and my colleagues are at risk of losing it all again. WE can’t go through another 2020. We did our part, now please help us end this and do your part.”

• A.J. Dixon, Chef/Owner of Lazy Susan MKE

“Earlier this spring I had decided that vaccines were a personal choice with personal consequences and so, if you chose not to get vaccinated, the consequences pretty much stopped there. I believe the spread of the Delta variant has shown us all that this new vaccinated reality is actually quite fragile and getting a majority of Americans (and the world) vaccinated is the key to stopping the spread and returning to normal. Our businesses and our staff have suffered greatly due to this pandemic and I am asking if you love live music, nightlife, and eating out, that you help our industry and our community by getting vaccinated. It’s an easy, free, and simple process that will make a huge difference in the lives of those around you.”  

• John Dye, Owner of The Jazz Estate, Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge and At Random Cocktail Lounge

“The vaccine is a gift we can give to ourselves, our families and our community. It is the way to keep us all safe and healthy, and is the path forward to open our doors once again to experience vibrant arts, culture, entertainment and dining in our town. Our entire staff, cast, musicians and crews are vaccinated. We have done this because we care about each other and our audiences. Join us in this act of kindness.”

• Jack Lemmon, Executive Director of Skylight Music Theatre

“The pandemic either completely closed or extremely limited all of our businesses for the last 18 months. The vaccine is our way back and our voices are united as we seek to find a way to get safely back to doing the things that we all love to do – without restriction.”

• Gary Witt, President and CEO of the Pabst Theater Group

Milwaukee-area businesses encouraging vaccination include:

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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