Businesses Expect More Customers After Reopenings In Anne Arundel

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Anne Arundel County lifted its capacity restrictions, and small businesses are ready. Intimate concerts are on tap, plays are set to resume and restaurants are offering private dining. One hotel also hopes to drum up interest by hosting a free wedding for an essential worker.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the Annapolis Arts District. Here's what Executive Director Erik Evans wrote about the reopenings:

"There is light at the end of the tunnel. COVID numbers have dramatically improved, the vaccine rollout is expanding next week in Anne Arundel County to include everyone aged 65 and up and warmer spring weather is starting to make an appearance.

This creates opportunities for us to come out of a year of COVID hibernation. The kids are starting to return to in-class learning, retail stores are moving towards full capacity and some events are returning in a hybrid format including Annapolis Restaurant Week, Maryland Day Weekend, and the new Annapolis Oyster Fest.

These are the beginning signs of life after quarantine. It is also the beginning of business recovery. Soon companies will be rehiring staff as capacities increase. Some office workers will start returning to work in their offices versus working from home. This will all help the local economy rebound.

More than 20% of Maryland’s population has now received at least one vaccine shot. The CDC also updated its recommendations this past week reducing the number of safety measures required for those that have completed their COVID vaccination.

This creates more opportunities for people to get together in small groups. Several restaurants in Annapolis have private dining areas to facilitate small groups dining out. These include Blackwall Hitch, Boatyard Bar and Grill, Carrols Creek Café, Federal House Bar & Grille, Harry Browne’s, McGarvey’s Oyster Bar, Middleton Tavern, Obrien’s Oyster Bar, Pussers Caribbean Grille, Reynolds Tavern, Ruth Chris Steak House, and Stan and Joe’s Saloon. These locations also offer outdoor dining and most are participating in Annapolis Restaurant Week or Annapolis Oyster Fest this month.

As small weddings restart[,] the Graduate Hotel is currently looking for a deserving couple to give them a free wedding at the hotel. If you are an essential employee that is engaged you can submit your nomination for a chance to win the ultimate wedding from the Graduate Hotel.

Rams Head On Stage has resumed hosting concerts in Annapolis. The venue has you purchase a table for your small group and limits capacity to keep everyone socially distanced.

MC3 is also starting to plan for a summer of events on its outdoor stage (Stage One) and will be announcing new events soon.

As the weather warms up in late spring you should expect to see the return of May Day, First Sunday Arts, Dinner Under the Stars, Market Space events and many of the fun Annapolis experiences including tour boats, walking tours, museums, and other attractions.

Benchmark has identified about a dozen travel trends for this year. Some of their findings they are reporting include groups will prefer to drive to destinations, groups traveling together will mostly be of 15 people or less this year, and destinations that can provide an experience that includes the local cuisine, culture, the environment, and team-building exercises will be popular.

Travelers will also seek venues that offer options for hosting meetings outdoors, dining outdoors, and the ability to use technology to reach those unable to travel with them in person.

Annapolis is in the early stages of transitioning from a year of hibernation to a year where family members start to get together in small groups as they get vaccinated.

As you make plans to explore Annapolis, visit the websites of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership and the Annapolis Arts District to keep up to date on options for local events, shopping, dining, lodging, and tours in the downtown Annapolis area.

Erik Evans

Executive Director

Annapolis Arts District

Downtown Annapolis Partnership"

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Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.