Sonoma County event venues frustrated over ban on large gatherings

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A new health order in Sonoma County, is being viewed as another potential blow to the area’s tourism industry, particularly for businesses behind the region’s larger events. 

Under the order, which goes into on Wednesday -- with some exceptions -- indoor gatherings are limited to 50 people, and outdoor events to 100, unless guests are able to socially distance by six feet or more. The order was issued out of an abundance of caution as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. 

"It’s definitely a rollercoaster," said Rene Blyck co-owner of Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa. "It’s going to be more bumps on the road for our business."

Area wineries, event planners, and caterers say they're particularly concerned about the impact that the new policy may have on corporate events and weddings.

"They’re calling up and they’re basically postponing because they don’t have the option to have that event," said Blyck regarding one of his corporate clients.

"We just had a 700 cancel on us for March. They’re a company out of Orange County. I think corporate is not very interested in doing a lot of things right now," said
Robert Gronbach, who owns Pacific Connection Catering in Santa Rosa.

And with wedding season, just around the corner, businesses are now fielding calls from concerned future grooms and brides.

"Right now it hasn’t affected us too badly. If this continues into March. That’s a whole other ballgame," said Gronbach. "Destination weddings are really important to the economy, the hotel rooms, the restaurants, the rent-a-cars. They don’t come for a day, they come for 4 days, 5 days."

"People who have booked weddings, people who are planning meetings. I mean when you get into an environment of uncertainty that is sort of the worst environments for the tourism industry," said Claudia Vecchio, president and CEO of Sonoma County Tourism.

The new Sonoma County order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.