You’ll have to hurry home. Miami-Dade changes curfew for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced Thursday that she would relax the county’s midnight curfew on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, allowing residents to stay out until 1 a.m. for the holidays.
Levine Cava met with a handful of mayors and hospitality leaders during the week to discuss the plan to loosen the curfew. During a meeting of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities, a group of municipal mayors voted to support Levine Cava’s proposal, according to Richard Kuper, the executive director of the organization. There was no objection.
“We need to make sure we are keeping residents safe as they celebrate through encouraging social distancing, mask wearing and communicating about health behaviors,” Levine Cava said during a video statement Thursday evening.
She said police would not stop people headed home after 1 a.m. but that officers would be “on the lookout” for post-curfew gatherings.
The announcement is Levine Cava’s first change in COVID rules established under her predecessor, Carlos Gimenez. In a video address after the meeting with city mayors, Levine Cava linked the change to late-night church services, though those events were exempted in September by a Gimenez order allowing anyone leaving a religious event to be out past curfew.
“For Christmas Eve, I will extend the curfew for 1 a.m., so residents can celebrate their traditions, like midnight Mass,” she said.
Miami Beach asked for 2 a.m.
The county mayor was under pressure from Miami Beach to allow looser rules over the holidays, when celebrating the new year is a significant revenue generator for the county’s hospitality industry. Levine Cava said county police wouldn’t be stopping people on New Year’s Eve “who are heading home safely, but they will be on the lookout for gatherings that extend past 1 a.m.”
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, who attended the meeting and met with Levine Cava earlier this week, said he expected widespread violations of the midnight curfew during the two holidays.
“We need to be on the same page, so I commend the county mayor for coordinating this effort,” he said.
The Miami Beach commission passed a resolution Dec. 9 urging Levine Cava to push back the curfew to 2 a.m. for Christmas Eve and the New Year’s weekend.
“It’s a win,” said Commissioner Michael Góngora, who introduced the resolution. “It still maintains the spirit of the curfew while allowing people to enjoy the New Year’s festivities.”
The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association broke the news Thursday in an email to members.
“This is wonderful news to receive to give everyone the ability to share the holidays with guests and patrons and a lovely and generous gesture from our new mayor. Bravo!” wrote Lynne Hernandez, the South Florida regional director of the group.
‘Not time to let down our guard’
Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino, who is vice chair of the county’s League of Cities, said the public should not interpret the curfew change as a sign that COVID-19 no longer poses a public-health risk.
“It’s really not time to let down our guard, I think that’s an overall message the mayor is trying to send,” he said. “But let’s not force people into bad decisions. The good actors will be good actors.”
Corradino said leaders shouldn’t give people the impression they can’t attend religious services or gather with family for the holidays.
Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey, who was also on the League of Cities call, said he agreed with the decision to extend the curfew.
“I think what they’re trying to do is give some leeway for these two evenings for people going out to religious services or with family. They don’t want those people to be out of compliance with the curfew,” he said. “There’s got to be a little give in these things. I understand the intent behind it. I would rather people be realistic.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2020 at 6:13 PM.
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