Skip to main content

University of Alabama sorority gets permission to host 600-person party on a farm - but they say it's safe because they'll go in two-hour shifts of 200 people each

Some 600 sorority students from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa are set to party hard on Tuesday night despite the raging coronavirus pandemic, though organizers of the event are planning to have revelers come in ‘shifts’ of 200 each.

The Kappa Delta house last week received a special events retail license after the Tuscaloosa city council voted to allow a ‘farm party’ to go ahead at a venue called Black Warrior Farms.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Kappa Delta for comment.

The ‘farm party’ is an annual event held by the sorority, according to the Franklin Stove Blog, which was the first to report the city council vote last week.

The Kappa Delta house at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa (seen above) is planning a large-scale 'farm party' of up to 600 people just six miles off campus on Tuesday night

The Kappa Delta house at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa (seen above) is planning a large-scale 'farm party' of up to 600 people just six miles off campus on Tuesday night

The event is scheduled to take place at Black Warrior Farm, a 14-acre venue in Tuscaloosa

The event is scheduled to take place at Black Warrior Farm, a 14-acre venue in Tuscaloosa

The University of Alabama campus at Tuscaloosa is seen in the above file photo

The University of Alabama campus at Tuscaloosa is seen in the above file photo

Since the university’s sororities do not have the adequate facilities to stage large-scale events, Greek organizations need to move them off campus.

The party planners, a company called Special Events Management, told city council members that it will shuttle partygoers in shifts of three - or 200 people per group.

They will attend the outdoors event for two hours at a time, though before entering they will have their temperatures checked.

All attendees are expected to wear masks.   

The council voted 4-2 in favor of allowing the event to go ahead.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the four city council members who voted in favor of the measure seeking comment. DailyMail.com has also reached out to Special Events Management for comment.

‘I want to make sure that the council understands that this is not a group of 600, 800 or 1,000 people at the event at one time,’ Casey Johnson of Special Events Management told council members.

‘This will be done in shifts. So we will have essentially a six-hour party.

The party will be held just 12 days after Governor Kay Ivey (right) and Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris (left) announced that a statewide mask ordinance would be in effect through December 11

The party will be held just 12 days after Governor Kay Ivey and Alabama Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced that a statewide mask ordinance would be in effect through December 11

‘They will sign up for three different shifts. They will load up on a bus.

‘They are not allowed to come in any other way to the venue.’

The city council voted to allow the party to be held at the 14-acre farm. Plans call for several buses to transport the students from the campus to the venue, which is six miles away.

The party planners said the large size of the farm - 14 acres - will enable the students to physically distance themselves.

But health experts were outraged.

‘It’s appalling and dangerous,’ radiation therapist Louise Manos, 61, told The Daily Beast.

‘The four members of the city council who voted in favor of this are sanctioning a superspreader event.’

Manos added: ‘This will be worse because of the college students who will be... drinking and dancing.

‘These party-goers will be going home for Thanksgiving next week and possibly taking COVID home to elderly relatives.’

Cynthia Almond, the city council president, and councilman Lee Busby were the only two to vote against the party.

‘I have a real concern about the ability of these kids, these young adults, to socially distance,’ Almond said.

Busby told The Daily Beast that having 600 students booze it up at a massive party in the middle of a pandemic ‘just struck me as not a good idea.’

‘It’s just that simple,’ said Busby.

‘The organizers of the party did do a good job of presenting all the precautions, so I understand the impact that had on the collective vote, but I just didn’t think it was a good idea that had to happen right now.’

The university told The Daily Beast that ‘has required the chapter to follow extensive rules and safety guidelines.’ 

The school said it will require ‘a 30-minute pause between each group’s arrival/departure’ so that planners will have to time for ‘cleaning/sanitizing of tables, chairs and overall venue.’

Buses will also be allowed to ferry students at just 50 per cent capacity, according to the university.

The city council approved the party despite the fact that Alabama is currently in the midst of an alarming surge in COVID-19 cases - so much so that Governor Kay Ivey recently extended a statewide mask ordinance.

More than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been added daily over the last week across Alabama as hospitals treat more and more people suffering from the illness caused by the new coronavirus.

In Tuscaloosa County alone, there were 11,949 cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday. Thus far, 149 county residents have died of the disease.

With caseloads on a steady rise since November 8, the rolling seven-date average of new cases reached 2,040 on Tuesday, a slight improvement from a day earlier, statistics showed.

Virus-related illness is at its highest point in the state since August.

The pace of deaths has increased since late October as the state’s death toll rose above 3,300 people, and nearly 1,300 people are hospitalized, the most in three months.

With a statewide mask order already in place through December 11 but occupancy limits dropped in order to help the economy, the Business Council of Alabama announced it was starting a campaign to oppose a shutdown similar to what happened in the spring.

‘BCA encourages Alabamians to follow all health guidelines and orders. COVID-19 poses a serious health threat to our citizens and communities. Personal responsibility and buy-in is needed to Keep Alabama Open,’ the organization said in a statement.

Ivey, who has repeatedly stressed personal responsibility in combating the virus, has ‘absolutely no intentions to close businesses,’ said spokeswoman Gina Maiola.

‘The governor appreciates this effort by the business community to partner with her as she works to make this a reality,’ she said.

While COVID-19 causes only mild or moderate symptoms in most people, it can be deadly for the elderly and people with other, serious health problems. 

Popular posts from this blog

Study Abroad USA, College of Charleston, Popular Courses, Alumni

Thinking for Study Abroad USA. School of Charleston, the wonderful grounds is situated in the actual middle of a verifiable city - Charleston. Get snatched up by the wonderful and customary engineering, beautiful pathways, or look at the advanced steel and glass building which houses the School of Business. The grounds additionally gives students simple admittance to a few major tech organizations like Amazon's CreateSpace, Google, TwitPic, and so on. The school offers students nearby as well as off-grounds convenience going from completely outfitted home lobbies to memorable homes. It is prepared to offer different types of assistance and facilities like clubs, associations, sporting exercises, support administrations, etc. To put it plainly, the school grounds is rising with energy and there will never be a dull second for students at the College of Charleston. Concentrate on Abroad USA is improving and remunerating for your future. The energetic grounds likewise houses various

Best MBA Online Colleges in the USA

“Opportunities never open, instead we create them for us”. Beginning with this amazing saying, let’s unbox today’s knowledge. Love Business and marketing? Want to make a high-paid career in business administration? Well, if yes, then mate, we have got you something amazing to do!   We all imagine an effortless future with a cozy house and a laptop. Well, well! You can make this happen. Today, with this guide, we will be exploring some of the top-notch online MBA universities and institutes in the USA. Let’s get started! Why learn Online MBA from the USA? Access to More Options This online era has given a second chance to children who want to reflect on their careers while managing their hectic schedules. In this, the internet has played a very crucial in rejuvenating schools, institutes, and colleges to give the best education to students across the globe. Graduating with Less Debt Regular classes from high reputed institutes often charge heavy tuition fees. However onl

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick.  Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o