Indoor dining resumes Monday, indoor entertainment venues reopen

(FOX 9) - After a nearly two months, indoor dining resumes Monday at bars and restaurants in Minnesota.

Last week, Gov. Tim Walz loosened the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, ending his ban on indoor dining as well as allowing indoor entertainment venues to reopen at a limited capacity. Walz’s new executive order also eased some of the restrictions on pools and gyms and allows spectators at sports when games resume on Thursday.

Indoor dining

Bars and restaurants can reopen indoor dining rooms at 50% capacity starting Monday, with no more than 150 people in an establishment.

Six people can be seated at each table, with 6 feet of distance between tables. Bar seating will be allowed, with no more than two people per party.

Minneapolis bars lose out as restriction to bar top service is extended

New, loosened restaurant restrictions go into effect Monday, but some Minneapolis bars are frustrated that they might miss out.

Reservations are required, and a curfew will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Indoor entertainment venues

Hundreds of indoor entertainment venues can reopen Monday at 25% capacity in each area of the venue. That includes:

Movie theaters
Museums
Performance venues
Bowling alleys
Zoos

Wedding receptions and private parties can restart under a capacity cap for each venue.

Pools, gyms

The new order allows pools to reopen at 25% capacity.

Gyms must stay at 25% capacity, though the overall maximum is raised to 150 people.

Group fitness classes can have 25 people starting Monday, though they must stay 9 feet apart.

Spectators allowed at sporting events

Spectators will again be allowed at sporting events, though attendance will be capped. For outdoor events, 250 people will be allowed.

For indoor events, the venue's capacity limit will dictate attendance.

Youth and adult sports resumed practice last Monday. Games and competitions will resume on Jan. 14, with some spectators.

Walz says inter-region tournaments and out-of-state play are still discouraged at this time.

Last week, ahead of the sports restart, Minnesota Department of Health issued new guidelines requiring athletes and coaches to wear face coverings at all times with a few exceptions for certain sports such as swimming, wrestling and gymnastics.

Places of worship

Walz also ended his limit on the number of people allowed on places of worship, though they must remain under 50% capacity.