This week, Blowing Rock’s Town Council voted unanimously to reinstate a mask mandate, requiring masks while indoors in any public space in Blowing Rock, beginning Friday, August 27 at 5pm. Affected spaces include retail, common areas in lodging, and inside restaurants while not eating or drinking. Social distancing should be maintained as well. Masks are not required for children aged 2 years or younger.
As local regulations can vary, it’s expected that some people may visit town without knowing about the mask requirement in advance. If someone did not bring a mask, or happens to have lost theirs, free disposable masks are available at Town Hall (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm) and the Chamber of Commerce (Mon-Sat 9am-5pm). In addition, Town Council set a two-week grace period before any citations, so that locals and visitors have time to become familiar with the requirement. The grace period ends on Friday, September 10 at 5pm.
The neighboring town of Boone began requiring masks indoors on August 10.
For more details, including exemptions and potential penalties, see the Town of Blowing Rock’s State of Emergency Declaration.