Columbia bars and restaurants prepare for Halloween crowds

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With Halloween a day away, downtown Columbia bars and restaurants are preparing for large crowds.

The owner of On the Rocks, Matthew McGee, said he can only have 40 customers inside at one time and expects to reach capacity quickly on Halloween night.

"In the last couple of weekends, we have been turning people away at the door after 8 or 9 o'clock," McGee said.

He added customers have been following the city's mask ordinance and social distancing requirements and thinks Halloween will be no different.

An employee at Shiloh Bar & Grill said they intend to make sure customers are following all health order guidelines, including social distancing, wearing a mask, and staying in small groups.

Ashton Day a spokeswoman for Columbia/Boone Public Health and Human Services said she will be doing complaint driven compliance checks on Halloween.

"We will be ready to respond to any complaints we get," she said.

Day said for the past few weekends the health department has not given out any violation notices.

"I am hopeful the community does what they can to enjoy the holiday and stay safe," she said.

The health department released guidelines for the community to follow this Halloween in order to stay safe and have fun.